Diabolik Fairy Tales
by mythica magic
Summary: AU - The Diabolik Lovers re-imagined as fairy tale characters. Each chapter will feature a different diaboy, as their dark natures become entwined with the original macabre fairy tales of the past. Featuring fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. (Includes smut with a nameless heroine)
1. Yuma Mukami

**Warning!** This series of fairy tale one shots will have various subjects or content that might make you uncomfortable, like cannibalism, manipulation, abuse, and other such things. This is because I wanted to link the original fairy tales and all their messed up content that Disney and others alike censure, and combine it with Diabolik Lovers. Now this isn't to say that dark content will be featured all the time, and I will specify the warning before the chapter. So if it makes you feel uncomfortable just skip certain chapters.

I'd also like to remind you that these characters don't have to share my moral beliefs, or philosophies. My main goal in making this was to combine horror and romance, so I hope I succeeded. This series is written in third person without Yui as the MC. There are no OC's and you can self-insert if you like but it isn't really a reader x diaboy scenario, neither am I shipping them with say 'Cinderella', in fact the heroine remains nameless for the most part. But you can imagine what you like ^^ Oh and there be no vampires here. AU for a reason ya feel?

 ***** You can watch a trailer for this fic on youtube. Just type in Diabolik Fairy Tales.

Rated M

Chapter 1 ~ Yuma Mukami. Warnings: Lemon and Implied Cannibalism

* * *

 **What Big Teeth You Have**

 _Little girls, this seems to say,_  
 _Never stop upon your way,_  
 _Never trust a stranger-friend;_  
 _No one knows how it will end._  
 _As you're pretty so be wise;_  
 _Wolves may lurk in every guise._  
 _Handsome they may be, and kind,_  
 _Gay, and charming - never mind!_  
 _Now, as then, 'tis simple truth -_  
 _Sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth!_

 _~ Charles Perrault_

Pushing against a heavy door, a young woman braced herself. Its large frame swung wide on its hinges with a groan, almost lost in the rush of wind and biting cold. Quickly stepping out, she heaved the door back into place, trying to stop any heat from escaping. She sighed, breath becoming visible in the air, before adjusting the basket slung over her forearm. Clutching the clasp of her cloak tightly, the material strained under her hand as she shivered. Not wasting time, she trudged forward in the snow, the blood red of her cloak in stark contrast to the white surroundings.

Luckily the winds became still, and it had long stopped snowing, making it easier to walk without having to brace against the elements. The woman craned her neck up to the full sky, and wondered how long she had until the next snow fell. Grimly going about her task, she strode through the small village. If it were a little warmer she would probably have dallied, but she had a two hour journey ahead, so the sooner she left the better.

Passing the local blacksmith, her lashes lowered in pleasure as heat softly caressed her cheeks. Her steps faltered as it lured her in, the very air beckoning her closer.

"Hey, Little Red! Off to Grandma's again I take it?" Shouted the aged blacksmith, sweat clinging to his brow. She briefly envied him, but smiled even as resentment threatened to loosen her tongue.

"I thought I asked you to lay off the 'Little Red' stuff." She chided lightly. "But yes, that's where I'm headed."

"Careful on your way!" He yelled over the furnace, waving at her absentmindedly.

Taking that as a hint to leave, she sighed and stepped away, instantly mourning the heat and wishing she'd never felt it.

Now the bitter sting of winter attacked her with a much fouler force, and the woman tightened her cloak around her shoulders once more. She passed by several closed shops and locked eyes briefly with one of the only merchants still in business.

The weight of her basket felt heavier as she skimmed over their meager selection of food. Her lips thinned, and she quickly looked away, turning her head forward.

As she turned towards a path that would lead her out of the village however, she stopped dead.

There was a loud _thwack_ , followed by ripping and a dull thud.

Her heart shuddered in her chest as her eyes greedily devoured him.

The routine went on, methodical in its simplistic savagery. There wasn't anything special about watching someone chop wood, but Yuma had a different presence about him when he was absorbed in work.

His large hands gripped the handle of an axe and swung it high. He then brought it down quickly, splitting the log down the middle in one fell swoop.

His muscles coiled and flexed under his shirt, and her eyes followed a path up from his exposed collarbone – wasn't he cold? – to his drawn features.

Her brows pulled together, before his eyes slanted up, seemingly by chance, and pinned her in place. Her treacherous heart leaped, and for a breathless moment, time seemed to stop.

The moment was broken by the widening of his smile, before his face split into a full grin. "Oi, Sow! Quit staring!"

Her face flushed, becoming redder than her cloak as the merchant behind her craned his neck in their direction.

"Yuma!" Her cloak blustered around her as she raced forward, hushing him. "The whole village will hear you!"

He chuckled. "Heh, knew it was a sure-fire way to get you over here. Don't see why you gotta be so defensive about it. You should just sit there and ogle me all day, we both know it's what you wanna do."

Shame briefly colored her face, and her boots suddenly became very interesting.

"If all you're going to do is tease, then I'll be on my way. And stop calling me 'Sow', it's worse than Little Red."

Yuma looked affronted as he swung the axe up, resting it lightly against his shoulder. "Sow is Sow. Ain't about to call you anything else. Anyways you're heading out at a bad time, you can see plain as day that the sky is full."

He towered over her in height, so it was easy to take his warning to heart. Yumas lip curled as he eyed the cloudy sky, but she sighed and shook her head in response. "I have to go."

"And the wolves?" He asked, gaze flitting over her slight form.

She smiled, moving the cloth over the basket aside to show a glint of a knife. "What about them?"

Yuma shook his head, something in his eyes warning her not to get too cocky. "Heh, I see this Sow has fangs."

She rolled her eyes. "Grandma's probably starving up there by now. I've missed my last couple of visits because of the bad weather, it has to be now."

"Tch." Yuma clicked his tongue, saying without words his stance on the situation. Things had become heated between everyone because of the recent famine, but the subject of her Grandmother had always turned Yuma sour. "And what is the lucky layabout getting from you today?" He sneered at the basket.

"The last of the bread. Some winter berries…oh, and leftovers we had that-"

Her stomach growled, and her mouth clicked shut. Yuma looked at her sharply, and she quelled under the sheer intensity in his eyes.

"Oi. When was the last time you ate?" His voice dropped, and anger briefly flashed, fierce and dark on his face.

He was hungry too, just as everyone was, so tempers were high. But she couldn't understand Yuma's mood swings in particular. It was as if he took her hunger personally, like it offended him when she couldn't eat.

"I'm fine Yuma-"She tried to coax the usual, teasing Yuma out, but his face hardened.

"You know Sow… If I didn't know any better-"He drew very close, his height making her shoulders drop. She stayed rooted in place even as he bent closer, teeth briefly flashing. "I'd say you wore that cloak to hide your skinniness. Bet that's why you're always so cold huh? Winters got a real taste for those with no meat on their bones. You can feel it biting you even now, can't ya?"

She held her ground against the woodcutter's keen gaze, and only felt herself relax when a bit of warmth gentled his eyes. She knew he only got angry out of consideration and sense of 'fairness'.

"Alright. If that's how it is, then I'll play nice for once and offer you some of my share." He smirked, eyes hooded as they stayed locked with hers.

"W-what? I couldn't ask you to do that. You must be running low as it is-"

"Stop fussing. I have game that I shot just the other day." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a jar, holding it up for her inspection.

Red, raw meat glared back at her. She raised wide eyes to his. "Yuma, how did you get this? You know there's been nothing sighted or caught around here in weeks."

It was true, the gravity of their situation had hit when villagers had to look to the surrounding woods to provide for them. But berries and herbs only filled the stomach so much. Yet in their haste to hunt they'd picked off all the game frighteningly quick. There were no more deer, rabbits, squirrels, and even fish had become hard to catch. The only thing that remained elusive but in abundance, was wolves.

"Tch, don't question my hunting. I'm a pretty decent shot with a rifle." He grinned, sharp teeth glinting. His smiles were always infectious and she couldn't help but return it. Warmth flooded her and she opened her mouth with affection on the tip of her tongue.

"Yuma-"

"Red! Get a move on to Grandma's! Off with you, now!" Cried a shrill voice, and she didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Yes mother!" She called, glancing behind her and waving awkwardly. She hid the jar from view, knowing that Yuma would probably get in trouble for not sharing the game among the villagers. She pushed it back into his large hands.

"Sorry, I'll get this later when she's not looking. Thank you though, I really-"she tripped over her words, and became frustrated, trying to continue. "- I um – thanks." She finished lamely, smiling.

"My pleasure, Sow." He grinned sharply, voice dropping in the familiar way that usually prompted her to fantasize about too many inappropriate things. She shook herself and nodded, turning without another word and walking away.

"Oi, Sow! Forgot to say-"she glanced back at him and a serious look hardened his eyes. "Don't take the shortcut. The pass is closed with snow. It's a pain in the ass, but don't go getting any ideas about going through it. Just take the usual path."

She hesitated, thinking of the weather, but nodded. Turning away, the feeling of eyes boring into her back quickened her step, until she was swallowed by the cover of the woods.

* * *

Cold numbed her fingers as she tucked her hands tighter into fur coated gloves. Her red cloak spilled out behind her as snow crunched under her feet. Branches from the tall trees seemed to enclose over her head, and everything was still and quiet. Yet the woman trudged on grimly.

Yuma distracted her thoughts, and she bit her lip absentmindedly. He'd come into her life unexpectedly, showing up out of the blue a year ago. Back then, the village had been prosperous despite being so remote that travelers scarcely reached them. So it was with befuddlement but kindness that her father, the village head, welcomed him. Yuma never spoke of his past, except to say that he'd spent some time in the city and had to leave for personal reasons. Several villagers still said cutting remarks about him.

Unlike them, she'd become fast friends with him, unperturbed despite not knowing his past. Her smile fell a little however, at the thought of the jar.

The weather had turned cold so unexpectedly fast that year that it had taken the village by surprise. As a result, their food supplies had suffered, but this would have been fine had they any animals to hunt. Yet the game was picked off so quickly it was frightening, until they'd ran out entirely.

Even trade with other villages had become difficult, because of recent snow storms blocking trade routes. One of the villagers had gone missing in a storm not too long ago, now presumed dead. The village was now turning to their livestock for food, and whatever leftovers they had left.

So where Yuma had come by an animal, she didn't know.

A distant sound caught her attention, and the woman's head snapped up. A long, drawn out howl echoed in the woods. Her heart picked up, but she shook herself. She'd never been attacked by a wolf in all her visits to Grandmothers, and even with Father's warnings she felt confident in dealing with them.

Her father didn't like her visiting Grandmother without an escort, but there was no one else to help. Even if Yuma had volunteered, he probably would've been stopped by her mother. A warning look was always glinting behind people's eyes whenever she was alone with him, though she tried to dismiss their stares and baseless rumors.

But she knew what those gazes meant. _Don't get too close, be wary._

Yuma brought a different kind of danger with him than wolves did. The kind that prompted sweating, writhing bodies bathed in moonlight to tease her thoughts. Those thoughts had become hopes, until they leaked like smoke into her very bones and became desires.

Now they were a part of her. The desire for him was as intrinsic as breathing, and she knew it with a certainty that frightened and excited her. But the only way to have him and experience his calloused touch, would be to become his bride. Her boots slid on an icy patch, and she stopped dead, balancing herself rigidly.

She didn't care much for marriage, and sensed Yuma didn't either. Yet if she didn't marry him, she'd be risking her reputation, her life, all for one night. And if she gave in she'd be called worse things than 'Sow.'

However, as she reached the crossroads and decided to follow Yuma's advice, taking the longer path, she couldn't help but be lulled by a darker feeling.

And that feeling made her realize something terrifying.

 _That if he wanted her, she'd be prepared to sacrifice everything, just to satisfy the cravings he elicited in her._

Shaking her head, she squashed that thought down, even as her thighs pressed together and an achingly sweet desire tightened her core.

* * *

The distant howls from within the woods rang out almost ceaselessly, but the woman continued undaunted.

Yet when another howl rose up, louder than the others, her steps faltered. Turning, she glanced around. That one had definitely been closer than the others.

Quickening her pace, her hand slid under the cover on the basket, touching the knife. Wolves were usually shy creatures despite their reputation, but hunger drove many animals to desperation. If they were half as hungry as her village was, then maybe…

Her breath shuddered as her heart hammered in her rib-cage. _Just a little further._

Grandmother's house lay at the crest of the great hill, in a clearing free of the surrounding woods. The old woman had lived there all her life, and even after her husband passed, she'd refused to move into the village. It had fallen to 'Little Red' to take her meals, so she'd taken this path countless times.

Another howl, long and drawn out, echoed right into her very bones. The woman had never felt such terror when making a visit before.

She trudged quickly up the hill. A twig snapped behind her, but she didn't turn to look. Instead she walked faster, pumping her legs until she was running.

The sound of bushes shaking, perhaps fur brushing against leaves, caught her ear. Something thudded against the snow behind her, and then she really was sprinting. Grandmother's house came into view, just as the very real sound of something running gave chase behind her. _Thud, thud, thud, thud_ pounded feet, no, _paws_ on snow.

She breathed torn, ragged breaths as she ran. Her face was numb with the cold as her hood flew back.

Reaching desperately for the door handle, she quickly grasped it and tore the door open. Slamming it shut behind her, she threw her weight against it and braced for the impact of snapping jaws and hungry snarls.

But it never came. The sound that had shadowed her footsteps was gone. It was silent in the cottage, save for the crackle of the fireplace.

Sighing in relief, the woman tried to calm her racing heart. Once her breathing had slowed, she looked around. "Grandmother? I'm here! Sorry I haven't checked in for a little while, the path was closed with snow." She shook her boots and loosened the cloak around her shoulders.

"Grandmother?"

There was no response. Frowning, she made her way from the living room to the aged bedroom, finding it empty. _She must be here, the fire is still lit._

Puzzled, she set down her basket. A seed of doubt bloomed in her heart, tightening with every minute that crept by without her Grandmothers shrill voice. Reaching under the basket's cover, she brought out her knife and hid it under her cloak.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" She asked quietly, trying to comfort herself with the sound of her own voice rather than listen to deafening silence. Wandering back to the living room, she caught sight of the fireplace.

The crate where logs were kept for the fire was empty. Grandmother had probably gone outside to the shed to replenish it.

Walking to the back entrance and grabbing the handle, she pushed, exposing herself to the bitter cold once more.

"Grandmother?" She called to the nearby shed, seeing the door open. Following the two sets of footprints in the snow, her heart thudded in her chest, pumping sickeningly fast.

Wind whistled in the air as something wet landed on her nose. Snow was beginning to fall.

She felt her her legs grew heavy as she reached the entrance of the shed.

Her stomach lurched violently at the sight that awaited her.

Red streaks in the snow caught her attention first, until her eyes landed on a broken form laying in the shed. Logs had fallen around her, obviously giving under her weight as she'd landed on them. The white of her hair danced in the snowy breeze. A strangled noise chocked the girl's throat as she stared at her grandmother.

"No, no please." She muttered, bending down and reaching out, only to think better of it. The broken form of Grandmother was deadly still. The girl's hands hovered uselessly in the air above her, staring at the ugly red patches of blood.

Frightened, quick breaths filled the woman's lungs. As much as it disturbed her to think it, the blood looked freshly spilled. Judging by the amount coating her body and the crimson spatters over the shed's walls, she'd been viciously attacked.

The girl was about to wonder what monster had done this, when there came a low, hungry rush of sound, hissing between teeth.

She froze. Raising her head slowly, she locked eyes with the wolf in the doorway.

It snapped its jaws, mouth peeling back to reveal sharp, yellowed teeth. Spittle coated them, spilling out to pool on the ground.

It's hackles rose as she shifted, wrapping her fingers around the knife more firmly. She trembled under the wolf's gaze as two amber eyes stared at her fixedly. A snarl rose from the pit of its throat as legs bent, and great jaws opened wider.

A cry escaped her as it suddenly lunged, and she quickly brought up the knife. Her eyes squeezed shut on instinct, expecting teeth to lock around her throat.

Something slammed into the ground. A loud whimper deafened her ears.

Opening her eyes, she started and scrambled away from the twitching body of the wolf. An axe was buried in it's skull.

The woman's gaze traveled up from the handle to Yuma's grim face. His eyes were blazing as they locked with hers.

"Shit. I take my eyes off you for two fucking seconds-" he grunted. "You okay?"

An emotion that threatened to undo her bubbled to the surface, before exploding. Tears pricked her eyes as she rose to her feet, jumping into Yuma's waiting arms.

"Y-yuma. Oh God, my-my Grandmother she-"Air chocked her lungs and she squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't hold back the rush of relief that he was _here_ , here with her. The fear, sadness and confusion left her heavy and shaking in his arms.

He muttered something into her hair, tightening his arms around her. His warmth drew her closer, like a moth to flame, and she clung to him, wanting never to let go as his fingers stroked her hair.

* * *

Sometime later, the woman sat before the fire, her skirts arranged around her so that she could comfortably sit and stare into the flames numbly. The shutters rattled against the winds outside. She could feel the chill in the air even as she basked in the heat of the fire. Yuma was somewhere behind her in the kitchen, rambling under his breath as he kept himself busy. Since taking her inside, he hadn't sat down once. Instead he'd made her a drink, secured the shutters on the windows, and barricaded the doors against the snow. He'd said that a storm had followed him from the south when he'd decided to come to the cottage after her.

Since the weather was so bad, they would have to wait before heading back to the village and explaining what had happened.

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

Grandmother was still in the shed. It made the girl shudder to think of her cold, lifeless body being forgotten out in the snow. A part of her felt as if she could hear the old woman's bones rattling in the wind outside.

"Oi, budge up will ya?"

Broken out of her thoughts, she quickly scooted over to make room for Yuma. He bent down and folded his legs beneath him with a sigh.

"Well, everything's taken care of. We should be fine in here for a good while."

She nodded, mind drifting back to the shed once more.

"Shit, quit with that. If you need a distraction, just focus on me." A warm hand was suddenly on her chin, turning her face to his. When her pupils focused on him, he smirked. One of his canines peeked out between his teeth, as it did sometimes when he was truly satisfied. She was unable to stop from smiling back weakly.

"Better. Don't go wandering off somewhere I can't follow, alright Sow?" He busied himself with bringing out a jam jar, and the woman could only puzzle over what he'd meant.

"You brought the meat with you?" She asked, catching sight of the red substance within the glass, though something about this jar seemed familiar.

Yuma rolled his eyes and bumped shoulders with her. "Tch, course. It's gotta get eaten."

She winced and rubbed her shoulder even as she smiled. "Yeah, guess so. It's just hard to think of anything else except for…"

She trailed off, her mind returning to that dark place. Yuma unscrewed the lid of the jam jar and without preamble, ate a slice of red meat.

The woman started in alarm. "You eat meat… raw?" She was almost certain there had been blood in that jar.

His expression was flat, as if he found nothing wrong with it. "Yeah. I mean, not all the time. It's safe if you handle it with care, which is pretty easy in these freezing conditions."

She adjusted her cloak worriedly, but froze the moment a low gurgling sound escaped her stomach. Yuma's eyes were locked on hers in a second.

"Ha? I see… ya still haven't eaten."

She shook her head, quickly rising. "There's still some food in Grandmothers basket, I'll just-"

A hand latched around her wrist, pulling her down. She squeaked in alarm, landing awkwardly. Her knees bumped against his, and she grabbed hold of his shoulders to keep from touching noses with him.

His face was suddenly close, too close. She practically drowned in the heavy depths of his brown eyes. A sliver of green around the edge of his iris's caught her attention, and she became mesmerized by it. A part of her didn't want to move, and he knew this, judging from the wicked grin on his face.

Blushing hotly, she opened her mouth to complain, before he shifted, wrapping his arm around her and pulling so that she was now completely nested onto his lap.

"That's better, ain't it Sow?" His voice was pitched low and husky, hot breath fanning against her ear and cheek. Her body sang in his arms, heart thudding painfully fast in her chest.

"Tch…look at that. You're trembling. Shoulda said if you were cold." His hands were rough as they rubbed up and down her back and arms, as if unused to handling something gently. But when he decided to settle her even closer in his arms, she half wished he'd continued.

His eyes were sinfully dark as she tilted her chin, barely a hair's breadth away from his. This was all he needed to finally crash his lips onto hers.

A squeak of surprise was muffled under his mouth as he pressed his lips against hers painfully. His tongue flicked out to run over her bottom lip, and she yielded under his touch, parting her lips.

He groaned as his tongue plundered her mouth, and she was left almost unable to respond, helpless to do anything but cling and press against him.

When her hips shifted against his unconsciously, he inhaled through his nose sharply. His large hands settled on her back and hip under the heavy fall of her cloak, licking flames of desire over her body.

"Are you trembling from the cold, or something else now?" He murmured, pressing a hungry kiss to her cheek, then her jaw.

Though she was indeed shaking, the woman knew it wasn't from fear. Her fingers clutched at his clothing like steel hooks. Nothing could pry them away.

"I'm not scared."

"Bold words, coming from a girl who's never learned how to _shiver_."

Her cloak suddenly felt so heavy it weighed down on her shoulders like a burden. She became hyper aware of her innocence, like a barrier between them.

The woman awkwardly untangled herself from him and stood, backing away. She was sweating, blood boiling too fast under her skin.

The urge to shed her clothes overwhelmed her in the hot room, which only grew warmer as Yuma also stood, gaze fixed on her.

She raised her chin, catching sight of the jar that he'd left before the fire. The reflection of flames danced upon the glass and only served to highlight the dowdy design of its polka dot lid. Why was Yuma using Grandmother's jam jar? He hadn't had it earlier.

The wind wailed against the shutters of the room, rattling them loudly like Grandmother's shrill scream.

The realization came all at once.

She heard the locks straining against the barricaded door. The jar, in the right light, made the bloodied meat glint. And within, one white hair lay trapped inside.

Yuma smiled as her eyes became fearful and wide. "Heh, what big eyes you have Sow. You finally noticed it, huh?"

She didn't move.

The bones in the shed trembled.

"Gonna run away?" His voice almost dared her to.

Fear locked her limbs, and she felt the horror inside her heart start to leak into her expression. But the thought of a limp body, lying in the snow, gripped her tight and steeled her nerves.

When her hands rose it wasn't to grab the knife on the nearby table, but to reach under her cloak for the lace of her dress. Undoing the fastenings with a steadier hand than she thought herself capable, she slid her arms free of the sleeves and shimmed it down her hips until the cloth pooled at her feet.

Throughout, Yuma watched her with wide eyes. They roved over her face at first, before lowering to the gap in her cloak that showed only a sliver of flesh.

After sliding her winter stockings down her legs, she stood tall and bare underneath the heavy fall of her cloak.

It had the desired effect, as in a blink, Yuma bore down on her, leaning in close with sharp teeth glinting. Yet just as he reached for her, she grabbed the knife, leaning up so quick that it was poised against his neck in an instant.

Yuma's breath stilled, whilst hers was short, fast.

"Tell me why you did it."

Yuma's eyes blazed. His lips turned up, voice becoming a husky whisper. "Does a predator need a reason to eat prey?"

The knife pressed against his neck a little harder, drawing blood. But her hands were weak. Tears stung her eyes.

Yuma clicked his tongue, and the woman chocked on a cry as the knife was knocked from her hand.

Yuma then grabbed her close, grip painfully tight. "She was holdin' out on you, Sow. When I came here to build up the hearth a week ago, I saw the pantry."

He dragged her to an old cupboard that she recognized. To her knowledge, it was completely empty. Yuma kicked the door open, and her eyes flew wide.

His lips were inches away from her ear, hot breath fanning into her hair. "It's filled with food. Food she didn't share with the village. And all the while she kept accepting your baskets, while _you_ went hungry."

The woman's heart thudded, heavy in her chest. Her family had slaved for food for months, yet the pantry was filled to the brim. Grandmother had eaten at her leisure.

Yuma tugged her numb body back. Her head hit the floor a moment later, body spread out in front of the fire like a feast. Yuma leaned over her, lips brushing her ear. "Ya call that fair?"

She shuddered and tried to rise, her skull aching from the impact. Fingers grabbed her hair and yanked, until she looked him in the eye. The smell of bread filled her nostrils, before it was against her lips, which she recognized from her basket. Yuma pressed it forcefully against her mouth. "Eat."

Hot tears blurred her vision as she opened and began to chew. Her mouth was dry and the bread clung to her tongue, but Yuma was unrelenting even as she chocked and swallowed.

She wet her lips once she was done and Yuma stared, fixated on such a simple action. Air on her skin made her eyes drop to her chest, where the cloak had parted, revealing her breast. Yuma's gaze followed hers, and a different kind of hunger licked hot flames up her thighs.

Their lips met between one moment and the next. She didn't know how, or why. Suddenly all the fear, pain and noise was suspended in the air, so far away it couldn't touch her. All that was left in her body were the embers of desire. Grandmother was lost to her, barely a concept anymore. Yet the woman couldn't find it in her to feel remorse for her own heartlessness. _An eye for an eye._

His large hand cupped her breast, squeezing until she moaned against his mouth.

Yuma's lips were harsh and utterly relentless, assaulting her own with a force so great it left her reeling, helpless to do anything.

Moans spilled from her mouth into his as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her sensitive nipple. Hips met and sensually slid and rocked against each other. Teeth knocked. When he bit at her lip, pain only served to heighten the pleasure. Her appetite consumed her, and when his tongue sank between her teeth she didn't think about the meat in the jar beside them.

She began to claw at his clothing, skin on fire as she shifted beneath him. Yuma gave in to her wordless request, and broke away to take off his coat and shirt. He didn't pause as his fingers undid his belt and the woman watched as he freed his hard length. Her breathing hitched, heart hammering in her chest as his body sank down over her.

His lips found hers again, pressing with a hunger that mirrored her own. Both his touch and kisses felt bruising in their strength. Long fingers slid into her cloak, until they brushed against her wet sex. The clasp of her cloak strained against her collarbone as she writhed, bucking her hips against his hand as he teased her.

When his other hand left her breast to fiddle with the clasp of her cloak, she quickly grabbed his arm. "Yuma, don't-"

"I don't wanna hear any complaints, Sow." He growled. Clicking it open, he parted the cloak with one hand, eyes roving over her body as red cloth gave way to bare skin.

She looked away, wanting to shield her skinny hips and hide her ribs. Yuma just stared down at her grimly.

"You're just like I used to be…" he murmured. "No, maybe more like Boss. He was self-sacrificing for others too. Tch, it was sickening." Dulled, faraway eyes contemplated her form dispassionately.

The woman blinked and reached for him, wanting to know more, but his fingers resumed their motions as he slid another inside her.

"Now I see why you're not scared that I'd eat you." He remarked casually, even as she panted and moaned underneath him.

"I-Im not a piece of mea-" She was cut off as something that had built within her burst, and her back arched, panting wildly.

Yuma just grinned. "Greedy, stupid little Sow. You wouldn't care so long as it felt good, right?"

He removed his fingers, lapping at the juices coating them. The woman tried to calm her breathing but tensed as he bent his head, grabbing her leg and pushing it aside as he thrust his tongue inside slick folds.

Her lips parted in a silent gasp, hands reaching for his soft hair as he lapped at her, sucking her juices like exquisite fruit.

When she felt teeth nip at her inner thighs, her heart stuttered with fear. She looked down and saw his face, shadowed with a dark expression. His eyes were unreadable. She knew at once the danger she was in as his tongue circled her clit. As if, at any moment, the mood might take him, and she'd be devoured on the spot.

When he raised his head and braced himself over her, he leaned in close, smirking. "Heh, unfortunately Sow, I'm not sure you'll survive this. Your bones might snap like little twigs."

His hand moved over the plains of her slight form. She glimpsed something in his eyes, before she felt the head of his hard length rub against her entrance.

"I'm not that fragile." She spoke clearly, knowing fear did her no good. She raised her knees to accommodate him, never breaking eye contact as he slowly drove himself in. Yuma hissed in pleasure as she gasped, feeling of her walls tightening around him. Pain squeezed her eyes shut.

The feeling was indescribable. Yuma was inside her, sheathed in her heat, bodies pressed so close she could smell his earthy scent. It was just as she'd wanted. She leaned up, kissing near the cut on his neck. His gaze was puzzled before he stared to move.

She bit down on her lower lip hard when he pulled out and slammed himself in, building a rhythm as he pounded against her.

He inhaled sharply as she pushed back under him, her small form dwarfed by his tall frame. She clung to his shoulders as the sounds of their bodies moving filled the room. Sweat glistened off his chest and brow. The light from the fire bathed his skin in a warm color, and she was enraptured by how he moved as they rutted together like animals. She dazedly watched as he slid out of her, how the muscles in his abdomen flexed before he thrust back in, burying himself to the hilt.

"Hah…" She heard Yuma hiss through his teeth, fingers digging into her thigh and hip.

One of his hands slid down her body, finding her clit and playing with it as he slammed into her, her juices rubbing off against his thighs. She felt as if she was burning alive, but the fire was blazing under her skin. She curled a hand into the red cloak underneath her, clinging to it and moaning as she felt her second orgasm building. She closed her eyes, biting her lip and tasting blood as groans of his name spilled out.

Yuma's lips suddenly pressed against hers as her body shook and enclosed around him. White hot pleasure crashed down to her core. Yuma sped up and continued pounding into her, his thrusts becoming desperate and uncontrolled as he bit and licked at her skin.

His throat emitted a deep noise, breathing erratic as she felt him slam into her one last time, before unloading his seed in her.

A dazed sort of terror echoed in the back of her mind, sounding like the villages voices, but she knew herbs and other such things to quell her fears of motherhood.

Yuma panted harshly, drawing away slowly. Her heart stuttered when he caught her eye.

"I promised myself I'd never starve again." His husky voice was almost lost to her as he bent to kiss and lick at the sweat on her collarbone. "The feeling of having your insides cave in on themselves just to give your body something to eat… nearly died in the slums from that sensation."

Teeth nipped, scraping against heated flesh. "But you made me break that promise." She swallowed under the look he gave her. "I began starvin' again, the moment I saw you. Nothing would quench the thirst except a taste."

Pure satisfaction darkened his eyes, and she knew this had been his aim all along. "Tch, but I still aint sated Sow. Not by a long shot."

He didn't expect the woman to smile up at him, teeth sharper than he remembered. "Neither am I."

* * *

The fears and names she'd heard so clearly in her mind were echoed in the coming days after. No one suspected Yuma of anything after Grandmothers body was discovered, but the village soon turned on her once she admitted she'd spent the night with him alone.

After the funeral, her reputation, like her burned red cloak, lay scattered in ashes. Her mother and father cast doubtful eyes upon her, and fell silent whenever she entered the room. It was as if they couldn't even recognize their own daughter.

She knew it wouldn't have made a difference if she denied the rumors. An unmarried girl had no voice. Instead she bottled her screams and cries in a jam jar, only released at night within the arms of the very one that had 'ruined' her.

So it was that Little Red, who was neither little nor dressed in red, steadied her pack on her shoulder. She passed by the blacksmith, who turned away as she walked, head held high.

She didn't stop until she reached the path leading out of the village, and found her Woodcutter waiting for her.

"Hungry?" He passed her a jar and she smiled, barely giving it a glance as she looked at him.

"Famished."

And so the two wolves left the starving village for the woods that lay beyond.


	2. Shuu Sakamaki

Thank you so much for the comments! I'm afraid I have to clarify here that I won't be writing chapters for the Tsukinami brothers or Kino. I don't know their characters well enough to do so.

Chapter 2 ~ Shuu Sakamaki. Warnings: Smut

* * *

 **The Listless Prince**

 _Not a sound was to be heard, nothing moved except for the clocks,_

 _but when they too ran down, they stopped, and time stopped with them._

 _Not even the faintest rustle was to be heard, only the wind whistling round the turrets,_

 _not a single voice, only the cry of birds._

 _~ Charles Perrault_

The scent of ash and smoke stifled the air. Something wet sprayed across a weathered helmet, hitting the scotched earth beneath the knight's feet. A strangled sound escaped the dragon, hissing out from it's slit throat and gaping jaw that pooled with blood, spitting between it's teeth.

The dragon stumbled forward, and the knight darted away, gripping their sword tight. Their fingers around the hilt trembled.

With a sickening thud that shook the ground, the great beast's head hit cobbled stone. It gave one last hiss, before lying still.

A fallen tree snapped and cracked nearby, bathed orange with flames. The knight stayed rooted in place, as if frozen. Hot breaths from behind the helmet's visor fanned against a sweating face, and the knight, exhausted, finally, _finally_ , dropped their sword. It gave a harsh clang as it hit the stone, sounding loud in the silence of the eroded courtyard.

Gripping the helmet with both hands, the knight gave a firm pull, freeing their face.

"I-it's done. It's finally over." She breathed, drinking in the open air mingled with ash.

Raising her eyes up, and then further still, her gaze locked on an ivory tower. "Almost there."

Something stung on her arm, and she winced, sliding her blackened gauntlet away. The dragon had grazed her with its fire, but she'd been so high on adrenaline and fear she'd barely noticed. Luckily it hadn't burned her skin underneath.

Shrugging off the heavier and damaged aspects of her armor, the knight sighed in relief. She allowed herself only a moments rest, before rising to her wearied feet once more, eyes on the castle's tower.

Her body ached as she pushed herself to walk, feeling her stiff shoulders cry out after wearing armor for so long. She tugged on the large entrance door covered in vines, and gave it a firm shove when it refused to budge. Inside was no better, as the abandoned castle had fallen into disrepair. Damage from the dragon's flames, no doubt launched at past knights less fortunate than herself, had created an opening in the roof of the Great Hall. It's magnificence had now faded from being exposed to the weather. Once rich tapestries now swayed with grime. The smell of damp wood was overwhelming.

The knight continued on, weaving through the debris and gloomy darkness. She tried several doors until she opened one that had stairs spiraling up. Taking a breath, she hoped more than anything that what lay beyond was truly there, before she began the climb.

Her footsteps were heavy, laden with apprehension as she ascended. _He'll be so confused._ She thought worriedly.

 _If_ he existed, which she wasn't certain he did. After a hundred years, it was very likely her mentor was wrong, and the sleeping prince was simply a fairy tale.

Scaling the winding staircase, the knight wheezed. Despite being in peak physical condition, the lack of sleep was starting to take it's tool, and by the time she finally lay eyes on the tower door, she was wrestling with her fatigue and breathing heavily.

Pushing it open, her eyes widened, taking in the lavish room. Heavy curtains were parted just enough to let in a morsel of light. The place was filled near to bursting with silks and comfort. Her heart thudded in her chest when she lay eyes on the spinning wheel.

And there, lying on a plush bed exactly how she'd envisioned him, slept the prince.

She walked forward quietly, feeling a heaviness in the room. Perhaps it was because the air hadn't been disturbed in a century, but it felt as if she were intruding.

Stepping closer, until she stood next to the large bed, the knight simply stared at him.

The prince was incredibly handsome, with blond hair that curled around his cheeks in disarray, as if he'd tossed in his sleep. At a glance, with his chest barley moving, one might think him a corpse. The knight hesitated, caught between what to do next.

Kissing a man whilst he was unconscious felt rude, but it was necessary to break the spell. "Just like slaying a dragon," she muttered.

Romance hadn't exactly been on her mind throughout this quest, but now that the situation was right in front of her, she floundered. What kind of kiss broke a sleeping curse? Would just a quick peck suffice?

Something like anticipation raced through her bloodstream as she stiffly bent down towards him. "Forgive me." She muttered absentmindedly, eyes on his soft looking lips.

Placing her hands on the covers beside him, the knight took a steadying breath, before closing her eyes. Pressing her lips against his, she was shocked to discover how cold they were.

She lingered a few moments, willing life back into him, before pulling away. Her eyes roved over his face for any signs of waking. To her dismay and growing alarm, he did not stir.

"Your Highness." She tried, blindly hoping he'd answer.

When he still didn't move, the Knight leaned back, heart thudding painfully fast. _Now what?_ She could try again, perhaps the curse needed to be broken by a more forceful kiss. She loathed the thought of doing such a thing to a complete stranger, but giving up now would be ludicrous.

Bending her head down again, her lips caressed his, pressing more firmly this time. She removed herself from any feelings of pleasure such an act would usually elicit, and focused on the task at hand.

So when a hand suddenly gripped the back of her head, not to pull her away, but to bring her _closer_ , the knight squeaked in shock. The lips under hers opened just as hers parted in alarm, and took advantage, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. He pressed past her teeth to maddeningly brush her tongue, and it was then the knight ripped herself away from his grasp.

Blue eyes gazed up at her, half lidded and assessing. He seemed utterly unruffled by what had just happened, even as she blushed hotly.

"Do you make it a habit to prey upon unconscious men?" He asked, voice rough from disuse.

"I-I beg pardon, your Highness!" The knight sprang up, thinking to comment on the inappropriate use of his tongue, but deciding against it.

An amused, dusty smile lifted his lips, and if she wasn't so confused she would have appreciated image he made.

He lazily stretched, lean body arching up, taut muscles stretching under the thin material of his shirt. Sitting upright, he slouched slightly, blond hair tussled as he blinked languidly at her.

"Please forgive me for that um- introduction." She murmured, pausing as he snorted. "You must understand, it was necessary."

"Really?" He drawled. Blue eyes glimmered.

The knight bristled at his tone."Yes." She stressed. "You were under a sleeping curse."

"Ah, is that what they started calling it?" He murmured, almost to himself.

She blinked, brows drawing together, suddenly uncertain. "You _are_ Prince Shuu, aren't you?"

She hadn't met a prince before, so she wasn't sure if it was normal for them to be this...laid back. Yet this one was gazing at her as if everything was normal, like he did this all the time.

He gave a half shrug, yawning. "Who can say."

She fought down the flare of frustration that bubbled to the surface. Her mouth opened to retort, before she caught sight of the wrinkled jacket that had slid to his forearms.

Before she could stop herself, the knight climbed onto the bed again with bright eyes. Her fingers tugged the old jacket up, looking at the embroidered family crest.

"Find anything interesting?" He muttered casually. "Or are you just using any excuse you can to touch me?"

She became keenly aware of his proximity.

"Yes." Said the Knight, before realizing what she just answered to. "Wha—wait, No. I meant that I found your coat of arms, Prince Sakamaki." She gritted out, cheeks turning cherry red as she avoided his laughing eyes.

Shuu sighed heavily, glancing her over. "Are you going to tell me what you want?"

"I-I just wanted to break your curse, your Highness. That's why I've traveled for days, chopped down giant bushes of thrones, and even battled a dragon! It was all so I could finally wake you from 100 years of slumber."

Shuu hummed, half lidded eyes growing distant at her words. "Then your quest is over. You successfully ruined my sleep."

Before she could backpedal and berate herself for returning to the bed—Shuu had her pinned beneath him faster than she could blink.

"Are you going to pay for the consequences?" His voice was like the finest velvet, but it was his eyes that sent her heart stuttering. Though half-lidded and seemingly bored, those dark depths weighed her down into the bed.

"Consequences?" She squirmed and realized that this was a very bad idea, considering their rather intimate positions. Shuu gazed at her dispassionately, and shifted, eyes locking on her armor. He sighed heavily and pocked the metal above her collarbone. "This is cumbersome. Take it off."

"N-no! Why would I?"

He rose a derisive brow. "You're a knight. Obeying orders is kind of your thing, isn't it?"

Looking away, she tried to ignore his proximity. "I...I'm not actually recognized as a knight. I haven't been sworn to any kingdom."

Glancing back to him, she noticed his gaze had turned flat, obviously unimpressed. She opened her mouth to say more, but abruptly stopped the moment his head dropped into the crook of her shoulder. "Ahh…I'm tired. Honestly, I don't care anymore." He murmured, going dead-weight.

She struggled under him, but only succeeded in bringing her hands up to push against his shoulders. "If you would just listen to me, Your Highness, I can explain. You see, there's a war going on between two kingdoms. This kingdom, _your_ kingdom, lies in the middle of the conflict. If you don't take your rightful place on the throne, then one of them will take over this land during the fight, and your birth-right will be lost."

She felt his chest rise and fall against her own, and a dusty sigh fanned against her neck. "Mm."

"A-are you even listening?"

"I was just wondering what a girl like you is doing, getting involved in politics, when you're not even a real knight."

She glanced at the spindle wheel in the corner of the room, remembering the story she'd heard since childhood. "My mentor sent me. Many have trained for years, in order to defeat the dragon and save you. It's all because this threat has been steadily growing for years, and many villagers fear the bloodshed that will happen on their lands. This kingdom will become the enemy's battleground before it becomes their home."

"Ha...that's the reason they want me then. It's to save their own skins."

"That's..." She faltered. Her lips pressed together. She couldn't voice that she'd genuinely wanted to help him ever since she was young. What he was saying was true for the most part, and if she disputed it, she felt as if her words would sound hollow.

His head lifted from her shoulder, and his expression terrified her. His eyes were filled with apathy that bordered on contempt. Though their bodies were pressed so close together, she'd never felt more far away from someone, so removed from his interest.

"You can leave now."

This was nothing like how she'd imagined. The prince in her fantasies had always come with her willingly, and she'd helped him reconcile with the knowledge that the world around him had changed. "I …I have to bring you back with me." She stated, hoping her expression was more determined than her broken whisper let on.

He chuckled in an empty way that made her brows pull together. "Go ahead, but I'm not taking a single step."

* * *

She made it about half-way down the spiral staircase. The stairway bricks had given way under their feet, and she'd had to stumble back quickly to avoid dropping her heavy burden. A sizable gap now separated them from the other side. It was something an adult could jump easily… if one had the will to cross.

"It's just one leap, Your Highness." She begged, tone bordering on desperate. He'd stayed slumped over her back the entire climb down as she'd carried him. His only contribution had been complaints and remarks about her stamina when she faltered under his weight.

She panted harshly and set him down on the stairs before the gap. There was no way she could jump across with him on her back. Shuu rested against the wall, his legs stretched out.

"Aren't you curious about the state of the world after sleeping for a hundred years? I don't know what became of your family, but we could find out together."

"I wasn't interested in my family's affairs, or the rest of the world before. Nothing's changed that."

"Then what were you interested in?" She asked, suddenly curious. He seemed constantly tired, and unmotivated to do anything.

When she glanced at him again, she realized he was sleeping.

Releasing a long, dejected sigh, she gave herself a two minute break, staring at the gap that might as well have been five miles wide.

Then, with a grim sense of finality, she hooked her arms under his legs and hitched him up so that he was splayed, dead-weight over her back once more. She then made the climb back to the top on shaking legs.

Once there, she collapsed onto the bed, scrambling away from his prone body warily. "Um, do you want some food?" She asked, panting from exhaustion.

"I don't need it." His voice was utterly unruffled.

The knight sighed, and leaned against the side of the bed, her chest rising and falling quickly. She'd tried to fight it, but the fatigue that had steadily been building up throughout the day was starting to take its toll. Beyond that, there was a dawning sense of hopelessness.

She looked at Shuu, and was startled to find his blue eyes open, staring at her with a half lidded gaze. He seemed to know her unsaid thoughts.

"Just leave. Tell them I don't exist." He said, not unkindly. His voice was soft, like a caress. Her breathing hitched. He nodded gently to the door, and then looked back at her expectantly.

A strange emotion welled up inside her, one she'd never felt before. "You'll be here alone...and now that the curse is broken you'll waste away like this. It was the only thing keeping you frozen in time, wasn't it?"

He blinked, and then smiled ruefully. There was a desolate stillness in his eyes, the likes of which she'd only seen in aged peddlers who were too weary to go on. "It's none of your concern."

* * *

Leaning heavily against a stone wall, the knight-no, woman's shoulders shook. How could she call herself a knight when she couldn't even do the one thing she'd trained for? Ever since she was born, she'd been raised only to live for duty and following orders. Without them, stumbling blindly around an abandoned castle, she felt the weight of her own purposelessness. Her foot slipped on a step, and she landed painfully, scraping her thighs against the stone steps.

She couldn't understand Prince Shuu. He neglected to follow the path set for him. He didn't care for his linage, his duties, or…anything. The woman wandered aimlessly into a room, walking by endless amounts of finery spoiled by time.

What should she do now? What would her mentor say? Things would have been fine had Shuu not existed. She could have shrugged his story off as a fairy tale, and gone on with her life. But the Prince's attitude had rattled her in a way no fall from a horse had ever done.

Why would he want to stay in such an empty place, cut off from everyone?

Her foot knocked a book, sounding loud in the echoing silence. Upsetting a few cobwebs, she bent to inspect it, wiping off some dust. Opening the pages, she found pictures of maps inside, and with a blink, realized she was in the library.

Perhaps…if Shuu wouldn't tell her what he was interested in, she could learn. And if he gained a semblance of motivation, maybe that would be enough to spark his interest in the world again. _Then he could leave._

Rising once more, the woman decided to take care of her horse first. After that, she could bathe in the river she'd spotted nearby, before getting to work.

* * *

Shuu dozed lightly, clinging to the remnants of a fractured dream. But it was difficult to grasp the edges, as they slipped from his focus with every clatter and bang. He frowned, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. _What the…_

With an aggravated sigh, he sat up, hair in disarray as he glared tiredly at the woman stumbling through his door. She strained under the weight of the books piled high in her arms, and he rose a brow as she stumbled and tripped, spilling them onto the floor.

"You're so noisy." He said, rubbing his neck.

"Oh, sorry did I wake you?" She blinked a little too innocently, and Shuu frowned. "I just thought you'd like something to read."

"Thought you were leaving, fickle woman." He sighed, but none the less, bent to pick up a book, studying the title before setting it back down.

He became aware of her eyes on him and looked up. She glanced away awkwardly. "I don't need to go back right away, so I'll stay here for awhile and help you out. You never know, maybe you'll change your mind."

Her hopes rose and fell with each book he picked up and set down, and in the end none of them sparked his interest. Once he'd looked at them all, he glanced at her, and she just smiled to cover up her disappointment.

"It'll be dark soon, and this castle is pretty cold. I'll make a fire for us-"

"No."

His steadfast refusal make her blink in confusion. The Prince stared long and hard at her, with a sudden soberness and gravity that made her heart skip.

"A-alright. Well then, I'll be downstairs if you need me." She picked up the scattered books, making a note of the ones he hadn't liked.

"Are you inviting me into your bed?" He asked, eyes half lidded once more.

She stilled, lips thinning, refusing to stammer. "No, Your Highness. Of course not."

He sighed, and managed to look victimized. "Stay here. You can keep me warm."

His handsome featured betrayed no ill intent, but none the less she shook her head, put off by the heavy stillness in his eyes.

"While the thought of being your personal bed warmer is flattering, I'll have to decline." She wavered under his answering smirk, heat flaring briefly in her stomach, and quickly turned, saying an informal 'good night.'

* * *

In the following days she managed to tidy her room free of debris and dust, securing the aged shutters so that they shielded her from the cold at night. She'd then done the same for Shuu's as he dozed.

She'd brought him another pile of books to be skimmed over, and was rewarded with a brief flash of nostalgia in his eyes.

"Oh…you found it."

"Pardon?" She blinked.

"My music book."

Lowering the pile of books onto the table, she picked up the one on top. Opening it, she found various sheet music and notes. "This…is yours?"

The woman handed it to him, and he shifted on the bed, propping himself up before he began to read. Seeing him so immersed in something made her eyes gentle.

"That sheet music is for a violin." She smiled. "Would you play it for me some time?"

Shuu glanced at her, just once, before huffing quietly. She took that as a no.

The following week, she finally straightened her spine, and asked something that had been on her mind since the first day.

"So, when you said you didn't need to eat…you really meant it?"

Shuu made a noise of affirmation, not looking away from the window as he sagged against it heavily. The windows shone clearly, thanks to the knight's cleaning.

She tilted her head, somewhat wishing she could share her meals with him instead of eating her hunted meals alone. "Did the sleeping curse do something else to you?"

Deep blue eyes pinned her in place, brow rising almost mockingly. "You seem pretty certain it was a sleeping curse."

"Well…yes. The story goes that you were a first born Prince, and one day an enchantress-"

"Witch." He interjected.

She sat back on her heels. "A witch…cast a curse on you. She made it so you couldn't resist pricking your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. You then fell into a deep sleep, one that could only be broken by a kiss."

Shuu snorted and chuckled. "So that's your excuse."

Ignoring that, she continued. "The other people living in the castle-"

"They fled."

"…and then the enchantress summoned a dragon to stop anyone from entering the castle." Glancing at him expectantly, she watched as the amusement left his eyes.

"It was to stop me from leaving." He admitted, returning the bed once more.

"What do you mean?"

"So noisy," he sighed, turning over so that he faced the wall. She repeated her question, but got no more answers.

Sometime later she'd passed by him to put some freshly cut flowers in his room. "Did you…bathe?" He asked, inhaling slightly and giving her an assessing look.

She blushed, hands making fists in the old dress she'd found. "Y-yes, I often do. Outside in the river."

"Haa…make me a bath tomorrow."

"What!"

"I haven't had one in a hundred years. Are you really cruel enough to keep depriving me of one?"

She thought to herself that if he really wanted one, then he could drag himself downstairs like she did. He smirked a little, and touched the inside of her wrist, gently stroking her skin. "Were you really serious before about helping me? Or do you pick and choose what counts as help when it suits your needs?"

She wilted under his words, and his smirk deepened, darkening his eyes.

* * *

Since Shuu disliked the mere mention of fires, the woman had boiled the hot water in a fireplace of a lower bedroom. She'd then carefully maneuvered it upstairs, pouring it into a tub. Once it was somewhat full with what was most likely lukewarm water, she turned, expecting to leave.

Shuu rose lethargically from the bed and lifted a leg, preparing to step in.

"What are you doing!" She squeaked, halting his foot. "You have to undress!"

"Then undress me." He said plainly, the tired lines around his eyes seeming more pronounced that day. The knight wondered if she'd been correct in thinking he'd suffered from nightmares the night before.

Feeling her shoulders drop and thighs press together, she stepped forward, popping the buttons of his shirt.

Shuu never took his eyes off her, and she fought to stay focused on her task. Yet as more skin was bared to her, she felt her breath shorten, heart speeding up. She avoided looking below his neck, trying not to think about anything past his waist, her mind drifting away until he was completely bare.

"Heh…you actually did it." Shuu chuckled, the sound snapping her out of her daze.

When he stepped into the water and lowered himself into the tub with a sigh, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. But just as she turned to leave, a hand snagged out, locking around her wrist in a painful grip. Suddenly she was nose to nose with him, bent awkwardly over the tub and gripping the sides.

The bundle of nerves between her thighs ached. With a faint sense of humiliation, she felt a tell-tale wetness that tainted her cheeks red.

A debonair smirk curved his lips, making her heart flutter.

He cupped her face, a sadistic light illuminating his features in wake of her frightened expression. He kissed her hard and breathless, with all the force of a hungry, empty man who desperately sought to fill the void with blind pleasure and completion. When his tongue swept into her mouth she shuddered all over.

She tore her lips from his, but his firm hold on her chin kept her a breath away. A lazy smile curled his lips. "Why resist?"

"Are you mad?" She hissed, following the direction of his gaze. She turned even redder when she realized what had drawn his attention, and yanked the hem of her dress down.

There was a strange gleam in his eyes she couldn't decipher. "We both know it's what you want. I can be charitable every now and then, and let you use me to pleasure yourself."

She'd poured so much of herself into work and duty that she'd barely had time to think of physical urges. She wondered how much Shuu really wanted her, and wasn't just using her as an outlet for his desire and loneliness, but then a part of her felt she was using him too.

"You know I won't refuse...heh, this innocent act doesn't suit you." He murmured, his tongue brushing across her bottom lip.

She stiffened when his wet hand trailed the outside of her thigh, disappearing underneath the hem of her dress to caress her hip.

Amused by her discomfort, Shuu prolonged his sweet torture. He could see it all. The flush in her cheeks. The change in her eyes. The way her breath quickened, lips pressing together to try and hide her breathless arousal. Eyes half lidded, she felt him slowly pull down the band of her underwear, stroking her damp folds before he slid them down and out the way.

He then pulled her wrist lightly, and it was all that was needed in order to make her straddle his lap. The water sloshed loudly in the tub, soaking her up to the waist.

"Let your voice out. I want to hear it." His whisper caressed her like a long lost lover.

His fingers then brushed across her breast, gently squeezing the generous mound and teasing her until a shaky moan escaped her mouth.

"Such a dirty woman…" Shuu murmured before descending hard and ravenous on her lips, driven by something inexplicable.

Mouths melding, he worked her into a panting, sensual mess. He shifted his hips, pressing his rigid, aching erection against her heated skin. Locks of blond hair tickled her neck when he kissed her throat. Fingers teased, stroked and massaged, never leaving her body.

She met his lips again and kissed back, banishing logic and duty. He lulled her into a sense of dizzying pleasure, and she took the initiative to slide her hands over the plains of his body. Shuu tugged her dress up, and over her head, pressing their chests flush together. He then reached under the water, curling a finger inside her slick folds. She moaned into his mouth, breaking away to pant heavily as he thrust another digit deep with her. Her knees tightened on either side of him in the narrow tub. He continued to whisper dirty comments against her skin as she trembled and quaked around his fingers, gripping his shoulders tight.

Getting impatient, she moved her hand down to touch his hard length, making Shuu still.

Stroking him lightly, their eyes met, exchanging a promise of scorching desire that stifled the air around them.

She was hauled to her feet then. The water sloshed violently. His hand tangled in her tousled hair and pulled back. He then nipped her jaw line, scraping his teeth along her throat, down to her shoulder—hard enough to make her tremble. She stumbled in his arms as they fell against a wall, sending the tub toppling over. Shuu stood over her, panting quietly. Their breaths mingled, lips inches apart.

She'd never seen him this way before. The lazy smiles, the slow, sensual touches, all had been replaced by sheer need and want. Water droplets clung to his skin. It ran down her shaking legs as he lifted her, hands massaging her backside. He rubbed his length against her dripping entrance before suddenly thrusting inside her. Lips parting in a silent scream, a moan rose from the back of her throat, ringing out loudly.

"Gn...heh...that's good, the melody of your pleasured cries. I've missed listening to music for so long." He moved slowly at first, pulling in and out, her folds making wet, obscene sounds as he slammed back into her. Her back arched painfully into the old wall behind her, nails digging harsh rivets into his shoulders.

He then slowed down, to an agonizingly unhurried pace, hooking her legs further up around his waist. He smirked, his usual self returning for a moment. "Go ahead, move."

Her eyes widened as she slowly, awkwardly willed her hips to move and slide against his. Her thrusts were sloppy and lazy at first, and he punished her with teeth at her throat. The pressure built inside her, and she chased her own orgasm to no avail, trying to recreate the blinding pleasure he'd given her. Shuu chuckled against her shoulder, wet, opened mouthed kisses littering her skin until she finally broke and begged; "P-please just fuck me."

Shuu's eyes were terrifyingly satisfied. He leaned in close and began shifting his hips again. When he built her up to the precipice of her orgasm and denied her once more, he just smiled cruelly. "Heh…slow down. No need to rush."

* * *

Sprawled across the bed with his spicy, masculine scent all over the sheets and her, she dozed beside Shuu. They'd lain together so many times that the number had blurred into one. His lazy, searing blue eyes smiled at her, and she smothered herself with a pillow, hot and bothered.

The pleasure was starting to die down once more, and when it settled into a low hum in the pit of her stomach, the worries came crashing back. She thought of the kingdom that she'd abandoned, and wondered about her mentor. What had happened since she'd left? She looked at Shuu, who's eyes had slid shut.

He was so beautiful it was unnatural. Because humans look for the little imperfections that echo something inside them, yet Shuu had none, it was almost horrifying to look at him for too long. His flawlessness was his deformity, the ageless beauty reminding the knight of her own mortality.

She knew at once what his curse was. "You're immortal."

He didn't react. "Hnn…"

"Why would a witch curse you with such a thing?"

His voice was empty off all emotion. "She said she could grant my greatest wish. But... I came to realize, she gave me the opposite of what I'd asked for."

She thought for a moment. _The opposite of immortality, then…_

"Y-you…wanted to die?"

Shuu rose slowly, the covers pooling at his waist. "When she summoned the dragon, her intention was to isolate me. Haa…don't see why she bothered. But it did the trick. My family, and the kingdom, dispersed. I stayed here in the castle, and tried to sleep...to drift so deeply that I'd surely sink into oblivion."

She wanted to ask why he'd wanted to die, but sensed he'd never tell her, and further that she had no right to pry.

"I went to the witch, asking for something painless. But I was careless, and didn't consider that her kind have a reputation for curses."

The knight sat up quickly, touching his arm. "But every curse can be broken. My kiss didn't work but we can find another w-"

"I don't want it broken."

That ever present weight in his eyes stifled her, to the point that she was left staring numbly into the vast reaches of his soul. The feeling of utter wretchedness befell her, and she knew at once that he felt he deserved everything that had happened.

This was accompanied by an ugly knowledge that she didn't want to face, that she'd rallied against like a stubborn mule. But now the fight left her, leaving only emptiness.

 _I can't help you._

Shuu smiled, slow and small, but genuine. His hand caressed her cheek, before be brought her in for a gentle kiss that caused her stomach to cave in and tears to sting her eyes.

"Kneel." He whispered, and she broke away to obey, to numb to think. She heard him rise from the bed as she knelt on the floor, her mind reeling.

She started when the cool metal of a blade rested against her shoulder. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision and ran over, spilling down her cheeks as Shuu stood over her, a sword in hand.

The sword then raised up over her head and gently lay on left shoulder. Her head bowed, hair falling over her face.

The blade then lifted. "Rise."

She did so with hands balled into fists at her side. Shuu bent close, taking her chin between forefinger and thumb. "There's nothing for you here. My family may be a forgotten name, but now whenever you call yourself a Knight, it'll be true in some sense. "

He wiped her tears, eyes dull and emotionless. "Don't come back this time."

* * *

Her first thoughts when leaving the castle had been that she should contact her mentor. But thinking it over, she decided against it. It had been many weeks since she'd last seen him, and she still felt as if she'd failed him. In their village, she would be hailed as a hero if she never returned from battle. It was seen as honorable. But to go back empty handed…she didn't think she could bear it.

Tugging on the reins of her horse, she didn't notice the orange flames painting the pitch black sky until she heard several shouts and cries.

Looking up sharply, her heart stopped.

The village she'd passed through before making it to the castle was on fire. But this wasn't what concerned her. There were men and women running, tackling, skewering, slicing, killing each other in the field nearby. Looking at the banners buried and dropped onto the ground, she knew the armies had moved in faster than she'd anticipated.

Her horse whinnied, eyes turning wild with fear at the sight of the distant shapes drawing closer. The Knight bowed her head, gnashing her teeth together.

She knew battle tactics well. One of the regiments would see the castle and think it the perfect place for an outpost to guard against enemy attack.

 _Shuu._

With a deep breath, she clicked her tongue, urging the horse on. She then drew her sword, looking at the enemy with a fierce glare.

The horse picked up speed until she felt as if she was flying, meeting the fight on a wave of adrenaline that pushed her heart into overdrive. About seven of them turned to meet her approach, readying their weapons for the woman with no banner. She cut down the first man that ran to her. Turning her horse sharply, her eyes widened as several archers took a knee and aimed at her horse. She quickly leaped from the saddle, impaling a man before his lance made contact.

The fate of her horse became clear as a pained whinny rang high into the air, and the knight grit her teeth, lifting her shield against battle-axe, spear, sword, everything became a blur.

She became aware of the pain in her arm some time in-between, noticing mid-fight that blood was running, gushing down to her wrist.

An arrow buried itself into her shoulder a moment later.

Her breath caught.

Seeing her stunned, a woman nearby took up a torch, ramming the burning wood into her eyes.

The knight screamed, her body collapsing in on itself. She rolled on the ground, clutching her face and crying. Above the roar of the flames and screams she heard a familiar voice, but darkness claimed her before she could see his face.

His body had moved on its own at the sounds of battle cries outside the castle. He knew she'd be here. Of course she would be.

Shuu blinked when an arrow lodged in his chest.

He leveled his gaze at the archer, who watched him with satisfied eyes. Those same eyes then turned impossibly wide, disbelieving as the arrow was pushed back out of his body. The wound in his chest closed up rapidly, until the only indication the whole thing had happened was a slight tear in his clothing.

Shuu looked at the frenzy around him. He wouldn't be able to take his knight to safety until he cut a path back through. Picking up her sword, he gazed numbly into the eyes of every man and woman he cut down. Their blood stained his hands red, but since Edgar, any other blood just seemed superfluous. His fault, it was always his fault.

When the way was clear, he picked up the barely breathing woman in his arms and staggered back to the tower. He begged and pleaded into her blood soaked hair that she stay alive until he reached the top.

* * *

She opened her eyes slowly, then closed them, squeezing shut tightly. It hurt. Everything hurt. Cracking them open again, she wondered why the room was pitch black. The curtains must have been closed. She groaned, and lifted a hand to her face, hearing a sharp inhale of breath.

"H-hello?" She asked, glancing around her with a creeping feeling of sick apprehension. An ice cold hand grabbed hers, fingers clasped tight and shaking.

"Shuu?" Knowing that touch anywhere, she turned in his direction, only to find darkness. "Why is it so dark?"

A hoarse, chocked sound emitted from his throat, and something wet landed on her hand.

"I'm sorry." He murmured.

She blinked, an emotion clogging her heart before sending it close to bursting in her chest. "N-no. No, _no_."

Her other hand touched something then, and her fingers felt around it before she flinched and drew back from the spindle. Something stung on her arm.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, lips moving mindlessly. Shuu bent down, resting his forehead on their joined, shaking hands as the knight stared unseeingly ahead of her.

* * *

His hands guided her everywhere. She almost always felt the sensation of his cold hand on the small of her back or leading her by the hand. She sucked in a sharp breath as her foot tipped precariously over a step, her hands clinging to the ridges in the stone wall.

Shuu was a silent presence. He lifted her over the gap in the stairs without comment. She longed for the days when he'd tease her.

When she slipped, his hand snatched out to lock on her arm. "Heh, nearly made it on my own." She smiled, hoping to diffuse the sombre atmosphere. Having counted the steps down many times, and mapped the corridors of the castle with the plains of her hands, she knew she was just five steps away from the bottom.

Shuu brought her in close, guiding her down the last of the steps. Her shoulder and arm ached from the wounds that had partially closed but refused to heal completely. The same went for her eyes, and she knew sight would be out of her reach for eternity.

A door opened, and she felt a pleasant breeze on her face, smelling crisp, fresh air. A hand tucked the hair away from her eyes, though there was no need to, and she smiled up at Shuu.

There was a scrape of chair legs on stone underneath her feet, she felt a seat press into her side. She sat down, wondering what was happening.

Hearing Shuu walk away, she waited patiently, knowing from the heat on her face that it must have been a beautiful day.

Her mouth bent into a painful smile.

Something soft, light and pleasing rang out into the air, and she stilled. It came again, growing louder and then falling, the sounds ringing in her ears. Her hands began to shake, and tears filled her sightless eyes. She cursed herself for crying, but the grin that split her face and unfolded the heaviness within her was scorching, and bright and real.

The notes of the violin rose and fell, the song saying everything that Shuu couldn't. The knight cried long after it had ended, but the smile never left her face. She was so happy to hear him play.

"Come on…why are you crying?" Shuu stared at the unfathomable sight, and felt one of his regrets loosen and fall away in his chest. "You're so troublesome."

She just laughed.


	3. Kanato Sakamaki

Chapter 3 ~ Kanato Sakamaki. Warnings: Lemon and Kanato's usual 'antics.'

* * *

 **Lips Red as Blood**

 _Then the girl began to melt. Soon there was nothing left of her but a feather a bird might have dropped; a blood stain, like the trace of a fox's kill on the snow; and the rose she had pulled off the bush._

 _~ Angela Carter_

The air hung heavy and stifling within the coffin. She could feel it's staleness even without inhaling.

A shadow fell over her closed eyelids. Most likely a cloud blocking out the sun. Sometimes a harsh sensation on her eyelids told her that sunlight was pouring onto the glass above her face, making her inwardly wince.

It had been such a long time since she'd last seen sunlight. Or anything for that matter. She could hear the muffled sounds of birds and wildlife, and pictured them scampering through the tall trees of the forest around her. She longed to move her limbs again, to stretch, to talk, to _feel_ , but time had stretched on so long she was beginning to wonder if everything before was a dream. The last thing she remembered seeing was the trees stretching above her head as she was lowered into the glass case, before someone gently slid her lids shut.

That had been right after her stepmother's visit, of course.

She could still feel a piece of the apple lodged in the back of her throat.

Now the nothingness of her days comprised of listening to the woods around her, and waiting for the tell-tale shuffle of feet that signaled one of the dwarves. One of them usually stopped by, though their visits were becoming infrequent. When she'd first been placed in the coffin, all seven of them had cried. She'd been able to pick out each individual sob and put a name to it.

Yet, pure, sweet Snow White, had only herself to blame for their tears.

She remembered looking into her stepmothers eyes, seeing the rampant madness inside the old beggar woman's guise, and knowing she'd lost. Their game was ended, with the Queen emerging the victor.

She was so tired. Though she hadn't moved, the exhaustion was sewed into the fabric of her being. She wanted her consciousness to fade. Better that, than this endless darkness. Anything would be better than the state of purgatory she'd found herself in; Neither living nor dead, and perpetually unable to do either. All she'd ever wanted was to love and be loved, yet the world had seen fit to punish her for it.

A distant sound pulled at the edges of her consciousness. _Strange_ , she thought. It had almost sounded like a horse.

More noises, all muffled from behind the glass caught her attention. Since they were growing louder, she thought they must be drawing closer.

There came a shout, and footsteps. If her heart were beating it would've leaped out of her chest. These people were not the dwarves.

Every part of her strained to hear more, and she could've cried the moment her glass tomb was opened-

"Your Highness! Careful!"

Someone chuckled lowly, closer than expected. Fresh air fanned her face, clean and clear.

"Beautiful…ne, Teddy, don't you think so?" A soft voice crooned.

"The body might be contaminated, my Prince. I beg you to leave it be-"

The woman's interest piqued. _A Prince?_ Why would such a person open her coffin?

"Ah, look here at the inscription…'Snow White.' Fufu, what a funny name."

She heard a quiet murmur in the background, a few men whispering her name and mingling it with that of 'princess', 'dead' and 'curse.'

With a start, she felt something cool and soft cup her cheek. As it moved she realized it was a hand. A thumb gently traced her lips, back and forth. "Perfect…you'll make a perfect doll." He breathed in a dazed sort of way.

She didn't know what he meant, but the voice suddenly sharpened. "Teddy and I would like our new friend to come home with us. Please carry her." He addressed the others.

The woman wished she could see the expressions on their faces. Something must have passed between the assembled party unsaid, because the worried voice from before yielded. "O-of course. Would you like to keep her inside the coffin, Your Highness?"

"For now. Wouldn't want her to get spoiled during the journey…would we?"

"Understood, my Prince."

She heard more footsteps, and the sound of something closing over her head. For a moment she felt panicked, stifled under the glass lid again, but the voices and shuffle of feet assured her that it was temporary.

Her nerves leaped and rattled as she felt herself suddenly move. Men grunted as she was lifted higher, her head tilting forward lifelessly. Her feet were pushed up, and her body evened out, head hitting the pillow once more.

And then she was moving. She could feel the slight rise and fall of the men's footsteps as they strained under the weight of the coffin. The Prince barked orders, and she heard the trot of a horse near-by.

This continued for some time. The men underneath the coffin panted harshly, and she was aware of a slight dip towards the front end, where her feet were.

The sound of the footsteps eventually changed, as it became apparent they were walking on stone, instead of forest ground. She strained her senses, hearing many distant voices and the constant sound of the horse trotting beside her. There was a change in the air, and then the sounds became somewhat echoed, as if she'd been carried inside.

When they finally stopped, she was lowered to the ground once more.

"Thank you. All of you can go now."

There were no complaints as the men shuffled out, and what sounded like a door clicked shut behind them.

Everything was plunged into silence. She tensely waited, thankful for once, that the glass separated her from the unknown. Soft footfalls caught her attention, and an airy laugh caused her to inwardly shrink back.

"It's not often we get a Princess for a doll."

The glass was suddenly lifted up, and cool air settled on her skin once more, before hands clamped onto her shoulders. One of them slid behind her head, while the other supported her back, lifting her up with surprising strength. With some awkward maneuvering, she was pulled out of the coffin, her legs slipping over the sides lifelessly. The prince behind her dragged her back, his body warm. She felt a dazed sort of terror and uncertainty when she felt the press of his nose in her hair, inhaling. With a yank, he pushed her down onto what she found to be a plush chair. It had a high back, which her head rested against. The prince grabbed her wrists and put them on the arm rests.

"There." He said, not a bit out of breath. "Oh, almost forgot." His cool fingers were suddenly on her cheeks, touching her lashes. He slowly pried them open, and her heart burst with gratitude.

At first, everything was blurry, a blend of colors all running into one. Slowly though, shapes took form, and as the mist cleared, she became aware of two eyes, staring into hers. Were it possible, she would have yelped. Dazed eyes blinked, and the face drew back, revealing that of a very young looking man with lavender hair. He grinned, picking up a teddy bear and squeezing it in his arms.

"Pleased to meet you." His pale hand picked up the bears arm. "This is Teddy," he then rested his cheek against it's head, tilting his chin to look at her. "And I'm Kanato Sakamaki."

To her surprise, her lids remained open, and felt no dryness in her eyes, despite being unable to blink.

"I don't really like lying, in fact it displeases me greatly, so I'll spell everything out now. That way I won't hear any complaints later, right?" Kanato laughed, as if sharing a private joke. He bent close to her face once more, cupping her cheek, before sliding his fingers into her hair.

"You'll be my doll from now on." He whispered, running his fingers through her locks and tangling them. _W-what?_ She tried to shrink back, but of course this was impossible. _What does he mean, his doll?_

"You're warmer than the others. Ne, Teddy? I remember hearing something about sleeping curses, do you think that's what's happened here?" He gave her an assessing look, and for some reason though she couldn't move, she instinctively held herself still. His eyes were wide, vacant. There were dark circles beneath them, most likely due to lack of sleep, which added to the fragility of his features. Yet an unsettling intensity within them held her rigidly on edge.

"Oh well, it's not like it matters. You can't speak, so you won't annoy me. You can't move so you won't betray me. Really this is a win-win situation for you…my only regret is that you can't show me your pain." He sighed, as if truly saddened, and stepped away.

"Although…your eyes are somewhat obstinate." He muttered, before seemingly forgetting she even existed and abruptly turning, wandering from the room.

Just as she began to relax, he popped his head through the doorway and smiled. "I'll be back later, little doll."

And then the door slid shut, plunging her into darkness once more.

* * *

Her first thought was of escape. This of course was impossible, and she berated herself for even thinking it.

From what Prince Kanato had said though, her disability might actually be her advantage. The only problem was how he intended to treat her.

She'd used to play with dolls when she was young, and remembered putting them in pretty dresses and brushing their hair, playing house. But then she could also remember handling them roughly, throwing them on the ground, gripping them tight and slamming them onto surfaces.

Dread pooled in her stomach. What was he going to do with her?

She was nothing more than a toy now. As such, he wouldn't care whether she broke or not. And with no way to guard against him, she could do nothing but grin and bear it. There was no other choice.

She snapped to attention when the door creaked open. Since she could only stare straight ahead of her, it was difficult to see all of the room she was being held in. But in the light, and with peripheral vision, she was able to see toys, stuffed animals and building blocks, all strewn around the room.

Kanato wandered in, Teddy in his arms.

"Good morning, little doll. What game should we play first?"

The prince stepped out of her vision for a moment. Hearing something like wheels moving over a marble surface, she puzzled over the sight of a wheelchair. Kanato smiled and stepped up close to her, taking her in his arms and sitting her down as if she were a rag doll. The wheelchair squeaked as he pulled her back, wheeling her to a nearby vanity table.

She waited stiffly as his fingers lightly brushed through her tresses. Teddy was placed off to the side before her, and Kanato's gaze locked with hers in the mirror.

"Your eyes look like they're screaming. Are you scared of me, little doll?" Kanato tilted his head, considering. She could've flinched when he reached past her for a hairbrush. His hands were cold and felt like ice against her skin as he moved her head this way and that, brushing her hair softly.

"Please don't go making assumptions. I'll spell it out for you, so that your empty head might comprehend it; You're my doll now, so I'll treat you as I wish. Teddy agrees that I take good care of him and the others."

She wondered what he meant by the others.

The fear within her slowly seeped out of her bones with every gentle stroke. Eventually she was lulled into a dreamy sense of peace and quiet, barely noticing as he set down the brush. When he reached for the scissors however, her stomach twisted, and her heart lurched.

"Ne...you do listen when people talk, don't you?" His quiet, airy voice dropped into a hushed, flat whisper. She was spun around in the chair so that she faced him, and was left staring into the bleak depths of his eyes.

"I told you not to make assumptions. And yet your eyes are growing scared again. I haven't given you a reason to be afraid of me. So why?" He suddenly gripped her shoulder tightly to keep her in place, though she couldn't move an inch. The scissors in his hand opened and closed with a soft _snip_ as they hovered close to her eyes.

"Be a good doll and trust me implicitly. Otherwise I'll get irritated...and then I'll give you a reason to be afraid." The sharp blades close to her eyes moved forward, barely a hair's breadth from her pupils before moving up and snipping some of the hair framing her face. He then continued, trimming the ends of her hair lightly and without comment. She noticed that he seemed to absorb himself in the task, only stopping every now and then, his lavender eyes roving over her face.

It slowly dawned on her that she hadn't had someone pay such attention to her in a long time. After years of servitude under her stepmother, being ignored, shunned from social gatherings despite her status, the prince's attention felt strange, frightening, and yet...not entirely unwelcome.

A sudden intrusion caused Kanato to jump, the scissors slipping in his grasp, nicking her skin. It instantly stung, and she felt a wetness bead on her forehead. Kanatos eyes went wide, unseeing as he stared at her, his body shaking.

The doors that had been flung open were pushed wider by a maid, who wheeled in a food cart full of sweets. She was humming a cheery tune, and smiled when she saw Kanato. "Good morning prince Kanato! I hope I didn't disturb you~ oh!" She exclaimed as she narrowly avoided dropping a cup.

The maid continued to prattle on, introducing herself and saying that she was _so_ happy to have gained a job within the castle. From her position though, the princess could only see Kanato, who by now was trembling violently, his head bowed forward.

"...Who sent you to me?" His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

"Eh?" The maid glanced up from the dishes she'd set on the table.

Kanato turned and looked at her, his thin frame quaking. "Which one of my brothers thought it would be funny to send you here? You're not my usual butler."

By now the maid seemed a little intimidated, her heel drew back. "O-oh? I don't know what you-"

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY DOLL!" Kanato exploded, jabbing a finger in her direction. She felt surprised that it even mattered to him what happened to her, but worried for the maid inching away. The air around the prince cracked with palpable rage.

The maid held up her hands in a placating manner. "M-my prince I didn't meant to-"

Kanato seemed to snap. The trembling suddenly ceased, and before she knew what was happening, he was stalking across the room.

"AH!"

The princess couldn't see any more, because the two disappeared from sight and thudded onto the floor. She heard the sound of struggling, and plaintive, panicked cries.

"Hm? This kiss mark...heh now I see, you're one of Ayato's play things. Well if he sent you here to mess with me, then by all means...I'll answer him." Came a low voice, one she barely recognized as Kanatos.

" _No_! No please!"

"You hurt my new doll, she has a gash on her forehead now. I won't forgive you. I'll never forgive you! Hey, lets give you one too, a matching scar."

There was a dull thud, followed by piercing screams. The princess could only sit numbly in her chair.

"Ahahahaha!" A high pitched voice giggled manically, the sound bouncing wildly off the walls of the room and curdling the blood lying dormant in her veins.

"Please don't struggle, it'll only make things more painful, and you do need punishment."

There was another thud, followed by chocked, high screaming.

Kanato's voice was like a melody, falling low and flat once more after laughing for so long. "Ne, endure it properly. My little doll sits there quietly, why cant you do the same?"

The expected sound of another sharp thud never came. There was only the soft cries and sobs of the maid.

Silence reigned, before a sigh. "...I'm bored now. Your reactions are terribly loud."

Panicked limbs scuffled, moving quickly, before the maid reappeared in sight and scrambled to the door. Her forehead was bleeding as she pressed a hand against her face. Kanato stood up, setting a bloodied fork on the table.

The princess fought not to let any of the horror she was feeling melt into her expression, lest her eyes show her true feelings. Kanato padded towards her, voice light and pleasant.

"Now don't get arrogant just because I got upset over you. Its only because you happen to be mine that I care, but you're nothing close to Teddy's level."

He stopped before her, and tilted his head, body moving awkwardly as if he himself were a doll. "Hmm...does your head hurt? Poor thing."

He bent close and stroked her hair away from her face, lifting it out of the way so that his lips pressed against the cut. Pain flared, digging in and stinging even as he kissed her gently. When he drew back, he smiled contentedly, eyes vacant and misted over once more. "Fufu, is that better? Don't worry, I won't let anyone else but me break you."

* * *

The princess became used to waiting stiffly all night for the prince to return. She noticed that he didn't sleep in his room, and thought that perhaps he had other quarters elsewhere. Yet when he padded through the doors at sunrise, the shadows under his eyes had grown darker, and the only conclusion was that he rarely slept.

Kanato's lips turned up at the sight of her, and he stepped aside as two servants entered the room with what looked like a wooden stand. It was reminiscent of something a puppeteer would use to rest their puppets on.

"Thank you." Kanato said politely to the servants, once they'd finished putting it in place.

The servants quickly bowed their heads and left. The princess watched them leave, before turning her attention to the prince, who had opened a nearby wardrobe. "Ne...what do you think of this one, Teddy?" He was asking, obvious love and affection dripping from his voice.

It was a tone solely reserved for Teddy. She wondered why he loved the stuffed bear so much, and yet seemed to barely tolerate anyone else.

 _'You can't speak, so you won't annoy me. You can't move so you won't betray me.'_

"Hey!"

His sharp, angry tone broke her out of her thoughts. Kanato was right in front of her, holding a dress in his pale hands. "I can tell you weren't paying attention to me. Please don't think about something else while I'm here, it's quite rude."

She did her very best to appear apologetic, though this was impossible in her current state. Kanato seemed somewhat mollified though.

"Well, never-mind. Here, Teddy and I picked out a dress for you. It should be easier to change into it if I place you on the stand, so up we go." He grabbed her close without warning, a few of his lavender locks tickling her cheek. He lifted her up, placing her so that the wooden stand supported her underneath her arms and lower back. There was a head rest for her to lean against, and once more she was struck by his attentiveness.

"I don't like that dress you're wearing, so I'll get rid of it now." He picked up a knife, and she followed it's path wearily, inwardly starting when he pressed it against her thigh.

His misted eyes widened. A grin split his face, elated. "Heh, I can see it, the light in your eyes."

Long fingers from his other hand slid down, grabbing her skirts and lifting them up to reveal her legs. Kanato then ran the metal of the blade up her sensitive flesh without pressing down, briefly touching the sensitive spot between her legs.

The princess felt a sick terror seize her, and Kanato smiled. The knife lashed up suddenly, slicing the material from her legs and letting it flutter to the floor. Her frozen heart pulsed, fluttering and dying down with relief as the blade got to work on shedding her dress. Better that than the foreign feeling that had gripped her in wake of Kanato's smile and touch.

When there was nothing but torn rags clinging to her body, Kanato dropped the knife and slid her arms free of her once fine clothes. He then grabbed the new dress, utterly unruffled by her nakedness.

It took some time, but Kanato seemed to be enjoying himself as he put her in the dress. His fingers were lithe and swift as they tied up the laces on her back, adjusting the seems around her stomach and tucking the material in, neat and tidy. Lastly, he shimmied stockings up her legs, his head disappearing under her skirt for a moment. She started at this, and would've blushed if she could.

His breath fanned against her inner thighs as he pulled the thin material up, and then further still, until it rested over her hips. His cold hands smoothed down her legs, passing dangerously close to her core.

Kanato giggled before appearing from under her skirt, standing once more and inspecting her. "Hehe, you look rather cute."

She didn't know how, but the memory of the violence that had shaken her so deeply dissipated somewhat from those words alone. Kanato was looking at her as if he was truly happy. The princess inwardly smiled shyly.

He held up a mirror for her, and she barely recognized the woman standing before her in such finery. It had been so long since she'd worn clothes of actual standing. But the thing she found herself cherishing was the plaster with a teddy-bear print that Kanato had stuck to her forehead a few days before.

"You're eyes are glistening. Women really are simple-minded aren't they?" Kanato sighed. He stepped close to her, tilting her chin so that her eyes stared directly into his.

"Just because you're a worm whose been granted my attention, don't go thinking you can receive all this for free. I've pleasured you with frivolity, so now give me something. I want to see if it works..."

His breath dusted across her lips, before he kissed her.

She couldn't move, couldn't respond, so of course she was utterly motionless as he pressed against her. The princess' mind was awash with shock, but unable to do anything, she had no choice but to feel his lips as they parted on hers. She jumped as his tongue flicked out and ran over her bottom lip, briefly sucking it into his mouth and biting down.

Her lip ached, the pain grew into a dull sting under his teeth, before the prince drew back. He searched her eyes quickly, wide gaze flitting about her face. But after a few minutes went by, he sighed loudly, pouting. "How boring."

Kanato then spun on his heel, picking Teddy up and walking away without a backwards glance. The doors slid shut with a heavy thud that vibrated through the entire room, echoing off the walls long after he'd gone. Unbeknownst to the prince, his doll remained motionless, save for the lashes that lowered, and then rose, in a single blink.

* * *

Fear laced her limbs, making her tremble slightly.

Mobility was coming back into her body.

It should've been cause for celebration, but after what had happened with the maid, she was reluctant to be thankful for it. Kanato loved her as a doll. He'd been happy, tending and playing with her because she couldn't move or speak. But this change threatened everything.

Her main fear was Kanato's reaction, and most likely, his disdain. He rejected everything that wasn't Teddy, or something soulless like toys.

And yet...why had he kissed her if he'd wanted her to remain a doll?

He'd seemed disappointed when the curse hadn't instantly broken. She wasn't entirely sure how or why it had, yet the proof of it was in her flexing fingers.

She tensed, awaiting another turn in his capricious moods as he entered the room.

"Lets go outside today." He announced randomly, grabbing her without a second thought.

A few minutes later, and the princess inwardly gasped as the evening breeze caressed her cheeks. Kanato murmured that he disliked the sun, and that he'd stayed inside all day, awaiting the dusk and shadows it brought.

Her wheelchair made a slight squeaking sound with every turn of the wheels, but her companion paid it no mind as he pushed her from behind. He said nothing as they passed though large, open hallways, and she took note of the guards that avoided eye-contact. Kanato stopped and turned her, eventually heading out onto a wide balcony.

From her position, she could hear idle chatter from somewhere below them, and as Kanato pushed the wheelchair forward, she was able to make out some form of movement over the side of the railing. There was the clink of porcelain cups, and hearty laughs, the likes of which she knew to be nobility. Kanato didn't allow her to see them, and sat himself on the railing of the balcony.

"Ah...I see, the nobles are here. See Teddy? I told you they'd leave me out." He peered over the side, uncaring of his precarious position. His vacant eyes slid back to her. "A few of my brothers are down there. They always avoid me. Well, it's not like I care..." His face was unreadable.

She wanted to speak, to reassure him, but a nearby laugh startled her.

"No need to be a peeping-tom, Kanato. Why not join us?" A sinuous voice twisted her stomach into knots, and light footsteps alerted her to the newcomers presence drawing closer.

"Ayato better not be there. His ridiculous maid upset me greatly the other day." Kanato growled, his grip on Teddy tightening.

The man chuckled lowly. "Fufu, so I heard, the poor girl." He sighed in a way that confused her, as if pleased by the thought of her pain. "Come, you can entertain us. Be sure to being your...guest along too."

Kanato's eyes widened, and then fell to her, before nodding slowly. "Mm, alright. So long as they don't touch or talk to her."

* * *

The guests stared at her from behind their wine glasses. Narrowed gazes filled with distaste and fright. Beautiful courtesan's painted lips, so full and red, were turned down grimly. Only Kanato's presence kept them silent, but a tall gentleman who'd slipped in among the dining guests earlier was watching her with open contempt.

She fought not to blink or react. Her eyes were becoming dry and painful.

The gentleman eventually rose from his seat with a sigh and signaled Kanato to follow him. Her companion grumbled under his breath, pulling her back with him and wheeling her over to a corner where the man was waiting for them. He looked briefly mortified as he stared down at her in the wheelchair.

"Kanato. What have I said about bringing your dolls to dinner?" He finally spoke, pushing up the rim of his glasses and sneering.

"Hm? She's no trouble though. I like having her here."

"This is not a tea party where you can act as you please. I must insist you take it back to your room."

Something heavy laced the air, and she could sense Kanato tense behind her. "I don't want to! She's my guest!" He snarled.

"You have Teddy as your guest." The man explained calmly. Kanato fell silent, considering this. The woman thought to herself that this man must have known Kanato for a long time. "The Kingdom has turned a blind eye to your hobby for years, but stealing the body of a former princess has stirred gossip and rumor. Word has spread further than you realize. The Queen from a neighboring kingdom claims that this girl is her stepdaughter."

Kanato scoffed. "Why should I care about that?"

"She is coming to visit and no doubt wants to investigate the rumors circulating about you and your doll. From what I gather, she wants the body of her stepdaughter properly cremated, not paraded around in public."

A dull thrum of panic shuddered through her. Her stepmother was coming, and wanted to finish what she'd started by burning her alive. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She realized she was shaking, but noticed the shuddering was coming from somewhere behind her. It was Kanato's hands wrapped around the handles of the wheelchair.

"If she lays…one finger on my doll…." He was muttering under his breath. The gentleman before them remained impassive, even as Kanato suddenly shrieked. "I'LL KILL HER!"

This plunged the guests behind them into silence. They were no doubt staring.

"That could potentially start a war." The man sighed deeply, his eyes narrowing. "If you just got rid of this doll then-"

"No! She's mine to do with as I please! You just want her for yourself, don't you Reiji?"

She couldn't see him, but she imagined that Kanato's pupils were shaking in that way they often did when he was upset. He was breathing heavily, sucking in sharp gulps of air through his teeth.

"Don't be absurd." Reiji sighed again, crossing his arms and leveling him with a begrudging look. "If you feel so strongly about it, then hide it away somewhere until the Queen's visit has ended. If your doll is found then we won't make excuses for you. She will be destroyed."

With that said, the elder man turned away and walked back to the dinner party, which became lively once more. Kanato breathed raggedly, and she could hear him sniffing, fighting tears. The wheel chair continued to shake.

* * *

Change was unpredictable, and Kanato was right to fear it. It was apparent in his child-like stasis that he hated anything that didn't fit into his perception of the world. The princess found that she too, was afraid of it now. How nice it had been, to have been wanted by someone, even for a little while, no matter how twisted the attention. She'd been starved of it for so long that anything felt wonderful.

Her fingers at her side twitched as the doors opened. There would be no more pretend. She couldn't hide her reactions anymore. She steadied herself, and accepted her fate, no matter what lay before her.

"Morning, little doll." Kanato greeted, voice thick.

The princess was surprised to find that he was rubbing his eye. He glared tiredly at the bed, and sighed. "I don't want to sleep, but I can feel it coming for me."

He suddenly grabbed her shoulder, roughly yanking her out of the stand. "Come sleep in my bed. I usually dislike people touching me, but your scent isn't that bad. Teddy, you don't mind sharing, do you?"

Kanato didn't wait for a silent response from the bear. He dragged her dead weight onto the bed, flopping onto it beside her. His fingers curled in her hair as his small body seemed to fold in on itself, as if bracing for something. Teddy acted as a buffer between them, their bodies barely touching, but she felt Kanato's nose touch her head, taking in her scent, before burying his face in her hair. His shoulders trembled, before his breaths evened out.

She lay stiffly for awhile, before relaxing against him. When she felt that he was deep into slumber, she shifted, looking at his face. His features were unguarded, but pinched, as if worried even in sleep. His hands had drawn into tight fists, tucked close against his chest, knees drawn up. Her eyes gentled as she watched him, wanting to bridge the gap between them, and yet lacking anything she could say or do to soothe him.

Instead, she could only do as she'd always done, and watched helplessly as nightmares claimed him.

 _Powerless..._

Powerless had once meant _good_. The princess' in her storybooks never needed to do anything, they'd simply been rescued by the prince and then lived an idyllic life. She raised her head, pushing herself upright and sitting back on her heels.

It felt strange to move again.

She knew her stepmother would come for her. The Queen wouldn't rest until she was dead, for good this time. So she had a choice. To stay with Kanato, and let fate take it's course just as she'd always done, or run.

His whimper caught her attention.

She looked down at Kanato, and felt compassion blossom within her chest. Her legs lay numb and still.

Instead of moving away, she reached out, putting her hand on his trembling shoulder.

The princess decided that it didn't matter what came next. She'd found her prince like she'd always hoped, and would now live her paradise, even if it wasn't what she'd first wanted. So when Kanato's eyes flew open and he nearly struck her in a rage, she didn't flinch or cry like she thought she would. His expression melted into confusion, before he seemed to click.

"Oh...the curse broke?"

"Yes."

"...You're going to leave me now, aren't you?"

"No."

With a thoughtless action, Teddy was pushed aside. The princess lay still as Kanato held her from behind, crushing her against him with white rimmed knuckles.

The warmth against her back moved slightly as his arms tightened their hold around her waist. Surrendering to his embrace, she melted back into his body, letting him draw her close earning a soft hum of approval as he sighed, as if still in a dream. Lithe fingers started to trace lazy patterns on her stomach. She let out the softest of sighs, but tensed when she felt something hard against her lower back. Kanato's soft lips against her neck smirked, pressing teeth down just as he ground his erection against the softness of her rear.

Her cries were met with muffled laughter.

Yet with every harsh touch, a sigh followed. She felt like nothing more than an instrument in his hands, something to be strung and tightened, but soulless. He parted her clothes enough to access desired, forbidden spaces, but left her mostly clothed, uninterested in learning all of her yet. Obediently she arched her back for him.

Kanato pressed open mouthed kisses against her neck, spreading her legs as he rocked his length against her soft skin. The scalding heat of his hard flesh traced along her sensitive sex before nestling against her wet entrance. His warm breath tickled the back of her neck while he penetrated her body, sinking in to the hilt in one tight thrust.

"Ahh..." His pleasured moan shocked her.

The sound was unabashed and lust-filled, unlike anything she'd ever heard. His fingers cupped her breast, and squeezed her hard nipple painfully as his other hand slid up to her neck. He pulled her firmly back onto him, starting a slow, lazy rhythm. The woman couldn't help the moan of pleasure that escaped her and his hips bucked into her in response.

"Tell me who you belong to." He purred into her ear, slowly tracing a circle around her tightened nipple with a sharp nail, causing her breath to hitch.

"Y- ah! Y-you."

"Say it properly." His next thrust was rough and deep as if to emphasize his words. A yelp was torn from her lips at the intense sensation of fullness his movements brought her. The gentle rhythm he had set before was instantly abandoned for a more demanding pace that left her breathless and dizzy. The sounds of their joined bodies moving deafened her senses.

The fingers wrapped around her neck suddenly tightened, crushing her throat under his thumb. She chocked and arched against him as he bucked into her erratically. "Tell me, or I'll assume you're a liar like everyone else." His voice was hot and breathy in her ear as his hot tongue traced its curve.

A sharp, burning wave of pleasure suddenly washed over her as skilled fingers played tenderly over her sensitive pearl. He teased the bundle of nerves, drawing a small gasping, strangled cry from her lips as he was unrelenting in his grip and thrusts.

"K-kanato, I-I'm yours!" She clenched her eyes shut as his movements stirred a liquid fire deep in her core. She whimpered, trying to escape the searing heat of him impaling deep inside her, yet at the same time seeking more of the delicious ecstasy. His fingers clenched harder around her neck.

She could barely breathe; every fiber of her being was alight with the heat that he ignited in her veins. It was so hard to focus as his tongue continued to move over her skin, making it slick with saliva as he ground his pulsing erection inside her.

Nails dug into her throat. "Promise that you'll never leave me." He panted.

Her inner walls quivered around him as she neared her peek. She tossed her head and screamed in pleasure as the heat deep in her core exploded, sending waves of overwhelming heat burning through her veins. Her body arched and jolted in spasms. All she could do was cling to the sheets desperately as the world disappeared in a hot white flare of rapture. Kanato soon followed, his body entwined with hers, grip tightening around her neck until he released inside her.

Amidst the pleasured cries, her promise was lost.

* * *

The wedding had proceeded smoothly and without incident. Not a single guest had given the bride a second glance however, their silence speaking volumes without having to utter a word. Kanato didn't see anything wrong with the celebration. It'd been perfect. There had only been a minor hitch a few days prior, but he hadn't let it spoil his mood.

"Now, you're going to dance for us until my wife says to stop. Understand?"

A delicious feast had been laid out in the great hall. Tight lipped guests of the wedding reception watched with dazed attention as the captive Queen from another kingdom sagged in chains. She stumbled into the middle of the room, as if she were the night's entertainment.

The Queen trembled. She couldn't possibly escape. Blazing hot iron, molded into a pair of shoes, lay sizzling at her feet. Her gaze snapped to her stepdaughter, and a breathy, nervous laugh escaped her.

"Y-you must be joking-"

"Are you back-talking me? That's not a very smart thing to do in your position." Kanato's gaze slid to the guard at the Queen's side. An iron poker spitting with heat was brandished in front of her terrified eyes. It's light bathed her bruised and dirty skin in a sickly orange glow.

The Queen kept her wide, disbelieving eyes on the figure she knew to be Snow White. "T-this is preposterous! You're all insane! Don't you see that she's-" Grim faced guards holding her up suddenly lowered her into the iron shoes. They enclosed around her feet in an instant, searing them with a pain that felt like a thousand needles digging into her skin.

She screamed.

Her cries echoed around the room, soon joined by manic, uncontrolled laughter. Kanato fought for breath as he watched the pitiful display, tears pricking his eyes until they burst free and ran down his face. The crushing weight in his chest squeezed tighter, though he couldn't understand why. Funny, since the deranged Queen had attacked his wife a few days ago, he'd felt the quivering in his heart flare up like an infected wound. It festered within his body, but he cradled the feeling close, lips twisting up.

The Queen began to dance weakly, erratic shrieks escaping her. When she keeled over in agony, Kanato stood up in a flash, teeth bared.

"No one told you to stop!" He snarled.

A guard immediately pressed the hot iron poker against her side. More screams rang out. Iron clanked harshly against the stone floor as her body moved, as if possessed. Her eyes continually sought the woman beside the Prince, but only an empty gaze stared back.

The Queen wailed, her body thrashing against the burning pain flaring up her feet to her legs. Charred flesh began to break off. "N-no- NOOOOOO!"

Another hiss of hot iron burning against skin bid her to move. A strangled noise emitted deep within her throat, pitching her screams into a macabre serenade.

Kanato sat back, pleased. He turned to the woman next to him and smiled, picking her up gently and sliding her onto his lap. He was blind to everything save for the ruby red lipstick that painted her frozen lips.

"Ne, aren't you happy, my love?"

His wife didn't hear him. Her lifeless gaze was on the forgotten teddy bear, lying face-down on the floor.


	4. Ayato Sakamaki

Chapter 4 ~ Ayato Sakamaki. (Special thanks to fyeahdialovers on tumblr. Owe you big time for all your editing help and Ayato advice.)

Warnings: Lemon

* * *

 **Hair like Ribbon**

 _''Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair to me.''_

 _Immediately the hair fell down and the king's son climbed up._

 _Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as her eyes had never yet beheld, came to her._

 _~ The Brother's Grimm_

An announcement had been made, by the king himself, regarding the fate of the land he'd ruled over for more than thirty years.

For reasons not divulged, the king would be abdicating the throne early, passing it down to one of his six sons. The kingdom had been expected to fall into the hands of the eldest, so this news shocked many in the lower rings. For the upper-class, it came as no surprise, considering Prince Shuu's infamous lethargy. Yet the conditions that the princes had to meet, in order to be selected, gave everyone pause.

The six sons would have to leave the castle and search for a priceless treasure, paramount to any other held within the royal treasury. Whoever brought back the 'best' object, would gain the crown.

People interpreted this in many ways. Perhaps a dragon egg would win? Or a rare spell? Maybe even a captured magical creature.

Prince Ayato was practically bursting with joy. This was the chance he'd been waiting for his whole life. For once he was actually thankful to his bastard of a father. Why the fool had done it made little sense, but he wasn't going to complain. Suspicions be damned, he was winning this thing.

As the third in line for the throne, yet eldest of the triplets, he'd always been pulled in different directions for where his place should be. But now he had an answer to everything, and competition was something he excelled at.

Grinning viciously, he mounted his horse and set off into the remote wilds of his father's kingdom.

He'd never had a chance to prove himself in such a clear way before, so he didn't think much of riding all day and night in search of a spectacular find. Of course, he would have to bring something cool back, worthy of himself. He thought briefly of his brothers, and the conversation he'd shared with Laito.

 _"Let me guess, the buzzkill is gonna search for a lame plant of some kind." He'd sneered, eyes on his older brother, who was pouring over maps some distance away._

 _Laito had laughed lowly. "I wouldn't underestimate him, Ayato. I've heard delicious little details of what he got up to with the Mage's Dark Magic book."_

 _"Tch." Ayato leaned back, frowning over his own map._

 _"How about you?" Laito's eyes had gleamed with interest._

 _"Like I'm gonna say. What if you steal my great idea?"_

 _"I'm wounded that you would think so low of me, brother. Especially since I won't be participating in this farce. It'll be more fun to watch you all struggle."_

Ayato frowned to himself as he urged his horse on. He didn't want to be manipulated by his father, but this was the easiest way to get what he wanted. And why wouldn't someone want the crown? Well, Ayato hardly cared what motivations his brothers had.

After dismounting, he cursed foully, complaining over saddle sores.

He'd heard rumor about a rare stone, located deep within the Eastern Forest. Alchemists had coveted it for some time, yet were unable to find any trace of it. That probably had something to do with its location, as the forest was infamous for trapping weary travelers within its many twists and turns.

A part of him longed for a servant to order around, but pride demanded that he brave the woods alone. Subaru had also set out by himself, with nothing but his fists and the clothes on his back.

Ayato snorted, swinging his sword through the dense undergrowth that blocked his way. He tugged his horse forward, but it pulled against his hold, becoming more skittish the deeper they went into the forest.

"Oi, don't go wussing out on me. You belong to a great prince, have some pride! It's gonna reflect badly on me if you get all jittery from a bunch of twigs."

His horse continued to yank at the reins. Ayato rolled his eyes, glancing at the sky and feeling some of the sleep he'd put off start to creep into his tired body. He wasn't one for camping, though the idea of roughing it on his own had initially been exciting. Yet now that the situation was in front of him, Ayato wished that he'd stopped by a peasant's house before entering the forest, demanding shelter.

With night descending quickly, he made a fire and grabbed the pack from his horse, sitting down on the grass heavily. He'd been walking through the Eastern Forest for some time, finding no trace of the rare stone anywhere. It was meant to be found in a glade, and could grant a person some kind of immense power. He wasn't worried though, he'd find it soon enough. Ayato rubbed his head, wearied as he took a swig from his water pouch.

He'd be happy just for a bed right then, or a hot meal. The leftovers in his pack had been eaten a little too quickly.

Just as he was about to settle in for the night, a rustle caught his attention. He sat up, thinking he's seen something in the shadows up ahead, a figure flitting through the trees. Quickly rising, he staggered from headrush, before grabbing his sword. He then glared at his horse.

"You better be here when I get back." He warned, before running after the figure.

As he ran, knocking the bushes aside and roughly scraping his shoulder against a tree, he thought that the figure must've been a hermit.

When the stranger came into view, just barely visible from the dimly lit sky, Ayato stopped, crouching low. He squinted as the figure's hood drew back to reveal an old hag, aged and haggard. She kept walking, and Ayato followed, curious.

His feet eventually stopped dead. Green eyes slid up to stare at a tall tower. It was made of aged white bricks, and stretched up into the darkening sky, standing alone among the trees.

A flash of memory resounded in his mind, that of building blocks piled high, but Ayato shook the thought away furiously. He crept closer, watching as the hag walked to the base of the tower which had no entrance, calling up to the high window:

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

To his surprise, a large fall of hair, twisted into a braid, swung down from the tower's only window. The hair was impossibly long, hitting the floor and pooling into a heap.

The old hag grabbed the braid and used one of the many ties adorning the locks as a foothold. Ayato stared, amazed as the hair began to slide up. He heard grunting, and the sound of something turning up above, like a crank, as the hag ascended into the air. She rose up to the tower window, before disappearing from sight.

Ayato stood there for a long while. Minutes slipped by, and as they did, his lips curled up at the edges, spreading wider to reveal teeth.

Some time after the hag descended, walking off into the gloom of the forest, he stood below the tower window. Reiterating the words that had caused the hair to fall, satisfaction puffed up inside him as it fell down into heap at his feet.

Mimicking what the hag had done, he was surprised to find that the hair was soft and sleek in his hands. He gripped the strands tight as the hair slid up, grunts of effort reaching his ears and the sound of a crack drawing closer. He glanced below at the ground, refusing to acknowledge the way sweat pricked the back of his neck, and instead focusing on the adrenaline that pumped through his veins.

* * *

The girl's eyes flew wide and disbelieving at the image of a stranger climbing through her window. Instead of wrinkles, or frail, weathered bones beneath a sweeping cloak, there was a lithe, athletic build, smooth skin, and a bright shock of red hair.

This person was a man. She'd never laid eyes on one before, but had heard plenty, as the old woman had a penchant for seizing every opportunity to gripe about them.

His lips curled up, and a pleasant voice rang out. "Yo." He said nonchalantly.

She blinked, heart stuttering with fear as she stared uncertainly. "U-um, hello?"

He leaped down from the window, before standing tall. "The name's Ayato Sakamaki."

Amazed, she stuttered, before introducing herself. The man's keen green eyes swept down her figure with interest. He then stepped forward and put his hands on his hips, sizing up her home. "So what's the story with this place; You live here?"

"Y-yes. Sorry but, I'm not sure you should be here. Does my mother know about this?" She glanced uncertainly at the window.

"Huh? I can go wherever I please. You happen to be talking to a Crown Prince." He jabbed a thumb at his chest, smirking as her eyes widened. Cherished memories spent pouring over fairy tales warmed her heart, and when she looked at him again, it was with a new light that went completely ignored by him. "Anyway, the tower doesn't really matter. What's the deal with your hair?"

Her eyes dropped to the fall of locks that were spun around the room, hanging from the rafters and wrapped around her bed posts like a monstrous snake. "Oh...I've never been allowed to cut it, or go outside." She fiddled with a piece of it, tucking the strand behind her ear. She shouldn't have been answering a stranger's questions, but if he was a prince then it felt only natural to.

"Ha? Seriously?"

When she nodded, he grinned, moving uncomfortably close. His green eyes were alight with something indiscernible but intense. She felt like shrinking under that keen stare, but having endured her mother for years, her feet remained firmly rooted in place."You've never been outside?"

"I was brought here when I was twelve. But my mother...she told me to forget about everything that came before then."

"Heh, and how much do you know about the world? Not much, I'm guessing." Prince Ayato peered at her. "Hmm, maybe if the hair thing isn't impressive enough, I can sell you as 'The Airhead Girl.''

"Sell?!" She sputtered.

"Figure of speech. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep you close when we leave." He waved off her concern dismissively, as if batting a fly.

Her eyes shot wide. "But I barely know you, and I-I can't! I'm not even supposed to be talking with you."

He laughed, sounding young and carefree. It was so fresh and new she couldn't help but be drawn in by it. "Yeah, and your keeper has done a fine job of hiding you away. Really, I applaud them. But-" He bent close to her face, his scent filling her nose. It was spicy, overwhelming, and yet, somewhat inviting. "If you cared about that, you'd have obeyed them and not said a word to me when I climbed in, right? But you've been nothing but chatty. I think you wanna leave. You want to know what you're missing out on."

Her hands fretted at her sides, and she wet her lips, heart leaping when his eyes followed the action. His voice dropped, looking down at her hungrily. "I have a pretty good idea of why your guardian chose to lock you away."

She frowned, "You do? Why?"

Something in his laugh mirrored that of her mother's. Cruel and low. "Ahh...you're gonna be tons of fun." He leaned away, smiling to himself.

The girl didn't know what to make of his words, and stood lost in thought for a moment.

"Would you like a drink?" She suddenly blurted, remembering the manners an etiquette book had taught her.

He rose a brow, blinking in confusion, before shrugging.

* * *

Though she would loathe to admit it to her mother, in fear of punishment, the girl had allowed the prince to stay for the night. He'd slept in a tangle of limbs on her bed, having claimed it earlier as the most comfortable surface, and therefore, the only surface he would be sleeping on.

His snores were loud at first, but after turning over, he'd quieted into hushed breaths, frowning in his sleep. She knew this because she'd stayed attuned to him throughout the night. Without realizing it, she'd watched him from her position on the sofa, wondering about everything beyond the tower.

 _"When I win, I get the throne!" He'd bragged, before sobering and staring at her. "You'll definitely be the key to victory."_

 _"Oh I don't know...is long hair really that impressive?"_

 _"If I say so, then it is! I've stepped on it five times already. You'll win me the crown for sure, and then I'll-" He seemed to withdraw into himself for a moment. "I'll cast that guy into the streets, or better yet, kill him. Heh, I wonder which would hurt more?"_

She didn't mind helping him achieve his goal of being crowned King, but the anxiety of leaving the tower kept her from sharing his enthusiasm. When sunlight began to peak in from her only window, the girl rose. She hesitated by her bed, gazing down at the prince with a small smile.

Another person in her home, whether or not it was a noisy one, was something she couldn't help but be enraptured by. Mother never slept in the tower. She couldn't remember seeing another person unguarded, or hearing their breathing fall so quiet.

She made him breakfast and woke him up with a careful nudge to his leg. She didn't complain when he ate half of her meal in retaliation for waking him. As she cleared the plates away however, panic was starting to creep into her hands, making them shake.

She didn't want him to leave. To be left alone again after one night of company felt sickening.

"Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

The girl turned, eyes wide as she stared at the tower window. "She's back." Her throat became dry, and she quickly looked at the prince.

"Heh, so what are you gonna do now?" He asked, utterly calm, not worried in the slightest.

The need to escape had always been there, lurking in the back of her mind. Some days it was pitched into a low hum, barely noticeable, but today, it sang in her veins. A longing for freedom. For wide open spaces, where she could breath in fresh air and talk with people, to live like they did.

She became aware of the prince's proximity, as he drew close to her from behind. ""Hey, don't you feel lucky I found you?"

"Yes." She whispered, moving her hair over her shoulder and sliding it into the pulley system automatically.

"That luck will have been useless if you stay, but at least nothing will change, right?"

His words opened a cavern in her heart, her stomach twisting like the fall of her hair as it plummeted to the ground. There was a tug, signalling her guardian had stepped on.

She began to pull, barely feeling the strain of her muscles from years of her practiced art. _Nothing will change._

Horror numbed her fingers, making her hands freeze mid-pull.

"Rapunzel? What's going on?" Came a disgruntled voice, confused as to why she'd stopped.

The girl inched forward, until she stood overlooking the edge of the tower, staring right into the eyes of her mother. Realization slowly dawned on the hag's face as she held onto the hair, swinging in the slight breeze.

"R-rapunzel? Why are you looking at me like that? Pull me up. Now."

She swallowed. "I know my parents were foolish people, and what happened between you was a 'fair' exchange. But...but why did you keep me up here for so long, mother? Why must I always be alone?"

"I-its for your own safety! Come now dear, you know the world of men is dangerous. Let me up and we can enjoy a nice brew together-"

"I don't care, mother." Her voice wavered. She tensed as Ayato chose that moment to lean around her. The heat of his chest pressing against her back sent butterflies scattering in her stomach.

He laughed, judging the distance between the hag and the ground with a grin. "That's quite a drop, huh?"

The hag's eyes snapped wide, mouth falling open. "F-foolish child! What have you done, inviting the company of a man into your midsts?"

" _I don't care_. Whatever dangers there are, I would rather face them. Better that than enduring one more day stuck in this- this prison!" The girl yelled, her fingers trembling.

"Stupid, ungrateful child! How dare y-"

Rapunzel's eyes widened as her grip slackened. Never in all her years had her grip failed. And yet she watched with a numb sort of fascination as the threads of hair passed through her fingers. The hag screamed. Slack hair was still clutched tight in her gnarled hands, fluttering like a kite's tail as she fell to the earth.

A sickening thud broke the spell.

The girl stared, breaths coming in short, gasping pants. She'd let go. She'd... _killed_ Mother.

"Whoa, dropped like a stone, didn't she?" He glanced at her, before seeing her expression and sighing. "Well, come on. Don't wanna hang around here forever." Ayato muttered, grabbing her loose hair that hung over the side, pulling it back up like a rope.

He made no comment on the broken ends, most likely torn off by the Mother's hand. Instead, he stepped inside the tower, gathering the strands into an incredibly large bundle and stuffing them inside a sack. The girl stood frozen in the window, staring down at the body that lay below.

"Oi!" His voice was suddenly close to her ear, and she jumped, quickly staggering back from the edge and bumping into him. He shoved the sack into her arms and gestured behind him.

"Do you need anything else, or can we get a move on?"

She glanced dazedly around the suddenly too small room. It was packed near to bursting with fairy-tales and little knickknacks that had amused her for years. Her first pictures hung on the wall, some of handprints that she'd smeared onto paper as a toddler.

Instead of giving her comfort, the childish possessions now disturbed her more than anything. The need to leave, and never lay eyes on them again rose like bile in her throat.

She turned to him, desperate for assurance. "Once I win you the crown, what will happen to me afterwards?"

Ayato blinked, before smirking, eyes unreadable. "Let me worry about that."

His cryptic answer did nothing to inspire trust, but she nodded, uncertainty clinging to her like a second skin. "I don't need anything. Let's go, please."

* * *

After setting her feet on solid ground, the girl had once fantasized that she would enjoy it, celebrate it like a momentous feat. But in reality, she'd quickly made light of it in favor of moving as quickly away from the broken body of her mother as soon as possible.

Ayato remained unruffled as he strode forward, leading the way through the forest and away from the lonely tower. Rapunzel glanced behind her just once before it was lost from sight.

As they walked, she remained silent, lost in memories. The story of how she'd been traded as a baby in exchange for vegetables had been recited to her ever since she was young. While she knew that her mothe- _captor_ , hadn't loved her, she'd still felt a degree of affection for the old woman.

Ayato's boisterous laughter startled her from her heavy thoughts.

"So you decided to stick around, huh? Knew you'd make the right choice."

She glanced up, stopping dead at the sight of a large animal. "I-is that a horse?"

Ayato patted the steed, grinning. "Sure is. Ah, you never seen one before?"

"I don't remember, but I've seen pictures in my books." Her arms tightened around the sack in her hands. The horse towered over her in height.

"Ohh, then you know all about them then, huh? Like the fact that they like to bite people's hands off?"

She blinked, gaze snapping to his deadly serious features. "Huh?"

"Oh yeah, they love to nibble on delicate young ladies hands the most. When prisoners are executed at the castle, we make sure to save the hands for the horses."

"K-keep it away!" She backed away when he drew close, grabbing her around the waist. She struggled, feeling herself being lifted into the air.

Ayato set her on the horse, lifting himself up and sitting down in the saddle in front of her. "Heh, don't fuss, idiot. Here you can hold on to me." He grabbed her arms and placed them around his waist, leering at her. "Make sure to grab on real tight-ack! Not that tight!"

After loosening her hold, he clicked his tongue. The horse started forward, quickening from a walk to a trot. When her hands made fists in his shirt, he laughed, and urged the beast on, until they were galloping through the trees at a breakneck speed. The girl kept a firm hold of the sack under her arm, though large strands of hair escaped and blew out into the wind, lashing behind them.

She pressed her face against his shoulder blades, feeling the air chill her bones. Yet she was grateful for the trembling of her shoulders, the bite of cold on her nose. Eventually the forest opened out into farmlands, and she drank in everything with starved eyes.

Ayato smirked to himself as her chest pressed against his back, feeling her racing heartbeat.

Both were hardly aware of the time that passed before the castle came into view. Her arms tightened around his waist as they rode through the main gate. She looked around them wearily, staring at the strangers.

The prince glanced up at the castle by chance, setting eyes on a certain figure. Immediately, his good mood scattered. Karlheinz stood on the topmost balcony of the castle, overlooking the bustle of the courtyard. Ayato's limbs turned rigid when those patronizing eyes turned their sights on him.

The girl patted his side lightly, "Who is that man?" She asked innocently.

Ayato kept his gaze upward. "You just keep your eyes on me. Don't concern yourself with anyone else. Got it?"

"Y-yes."

Karlheinz's eyes slipped past him to the girl, and Ayato swiftly turned the horse, heading towards the stables. Something hung low and heavy in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

"What do you mean: You have to _present_ me?"

"Just what I said! Geeze, don't you listen when people talk? I have to show what treasure I brought back for this ceremony thing."

There wasn't anything she could say when he'd already explained the reason she'd been welcomed into the castle. _Then I really am like some sort of object…_

Ayato sighed and tugged on a strand of her hair. She winced just as he grinned sharply. "I took care of you didn't I? You should show me a little gratitude."

The girl nodded quickly. "I am grateful you helped me escape the tower, more than you'll ever know."

He frowned down at her, as if puzzling over her answer. Finally, he loosened his regal clothing, tugging the material out until it was comfortable and scruffy. "Hm, as you should be." Once he was satisfied. he grabbed her by the arm and tugged her out onto the waiting stage.

The ceremony had been held before a large crowd. Each of the brothers had stood, presenting their finds to the kingdom, all the participants seeming annoyed. Putting on a show wasn't in their tastes, though Ayato certainly enjoyed the attention from the crowd. When it was his turn, he bid her to wave, and the girl smiled shyly, standing a bit behind him.

Ultimately, his confidence grew on her, to the point that she felt herself straighten up, engaging in bouts of eye contact. It felt alien, to be around so many after being alone for so long, but his presence reassured her.

After the ceremony, Karlheinz announced that the winner would be selected the following day. Ayato griped and nagged, trudging along to dinner without noticing the girl trailing behind him.

She sat still during the feast, her eyes flitting from one guest to the next, before finding someone bent close to her face. "Oh~ Who's this?" A pleasant voice asked, his green eyes, though darker, struck a familiar chord with her.

"Are you one of Ayato's brothers?" She hadn't been able to interact with them during the ceremony, having stayed glued to Ayato's side.

"How cute, you refer to him without a title! Fufu, have you gone that far already?"

Although clueless, she was beginning to understand the gist of his words from the blush painting his cheeks. "H-how far?" The question slipped out without her consent.

"Oh you know~" The man drew closer, making her shrink back in her seat. " _All the way_." He purred, eyes raking down her form.

"Oi, Laito! Buzz off already, she's mine."

Laito chuckled, but none the less moved away, smiling at Ayato. "So Reiji brings back a rare gem of necromancy, Subaru coughs up an old artifact, and you bring back... _a girl_ , is that right brother?"

Ayato grumbled in his seat. "She's not a normal girl, she has the longest hair ever. Besides I wasn't about to waste my time in a forest looking for some dumb rocks."

"I don't blame you. A woman is worth far more than any other treasure, and has a thousand other uses." Laito was saying, but it went mostly unheard.

The girl wasn't paying attention any more. Her eyes had risen from the feast, connecting by chance with that of the King's. Though he sat at the end of the long, ornate table, he stared at her with a fixated heat that bridged the distance. She felt stifled under that gaze.

His pale lips tilted up, the slight wrinkles under his eyes creasing.

She found herself replaying that single moment in her head, long after dinner had ended and she'd retired to her bed. Before sleeping, she quickly locked the door of her room, not understanding where the need had arisen from.

* * *

Despite public expectation, the announcement that followed the ceremony a day later dubbed the eldest triplet the winner.

Several people went bust, having bet good money on Reiji winning the crown. Some expressed pity that the youngest hadn't won, having participated in order to have a say over his mother's welfare.

The girl had been happy, thinking that she'd managed to be useful. As for Ayato himself, he'd been in a daze ever since. She wished she could spend some time with him, but court officials had been prepping him for the coronation, making it difficult to get close.

Since then, she'd mostly been spending time in her room. _Shut off again._

The insidious sensation of eyes had hung on her skin like sticky vapor ever since the dinner on that first day. Though she hadn't seen the king since then, she was constantly alert, uncertain of what had been in those eyes, or why they frightened her so. They made her unable to face going outside her room alone.

On one particular day however, those fears were realized. "The King has…requested an audience with me?"

An aged servant waited outside her door. "Yes, dear."

She hesitated. "I don't understand, what for?"

"Why, for your company of course." Seeing the girl's furrowed brow deepen, the older woman leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. "This is a big opportunity for you! Many a fine woman has longed to be in the position you're in now. His Highness tends to the needs of his lovers exceptionally well. Even better than his wives."

A dull pang echoed in her heart. "Lovers…"

The maid left her standing alone in the hallway, mind turning impossibly fast. A tingling feeling on the nape of her neck pricked into a harsh bite, alerting her to eyes once more.

Her gaze locked with Ayato's.

Quiet, tense energy coiled inside her. She wanted to speak, to break the horrible silence. He had never looked at her like that before, or felt so remote and distant.

Her lips parted. "Ayato." Why did her voice shake? Was she guilty of something?

The prince stared at her a moment longer, before stalking forward.

Her heart thundered in her chest as his hand slammed onto the wall beside her. "Oi…that just now." He finally spoke, hair spilling into his eyes. When he looked up, the locks parted, revealing sharp, glaring green. Somehow, they burned with an inner light.

"You didn't invite it. Did you? His interest." His usual jovial tone had been replaced with one that made her tremble. When she didn't answer, he leaned forward until their foreheads pressed together. The act elicited no warmth or happiness. Her skull ached from being pressed back into the hard surface of the wall behind her.

"You didn't do anything while I wasn't looking, right? Because if you did, nothing will save you." There was a deadly promise in his voice. Hot breath fanned over her lips.

"I wouldn't do that!" She yelled, but words didn't seem to reach him.

She broke the barrier of touch and grabbed his shirt. "Ayato, I don't want to go, please- don't make me! I don't understand what it is he wants from me."

His fingers snapped over hers, crushing them under his larger hands as he pried them off himself. "He wants to fuck you! Why else would he call you to his room?" He spat, the harsh words striking a chord within her. Hadn't Ayato said she belonged to him?"

"W-what? But-but"

"Damn it, stop blubbering." He sneered and backed away slightly, muttering to himself. "That fucking bastard…"

"Ayato, can't you stop this? You're King now aren't you?" She soothed her voice from a less confrontational one, but he seemed too lost in his own frustration to be calmed.

"Not yet I'm not! Shit. He knows I can't do anything to stop him until after the coronation. That's why he's doing this now." He ran a hand through disheveled red locks.

"Please, I don't want this-"

His gaze snapped to hers. "Like he gives a crap what you want."

Her head bowed forward. Hopelessness threatened to overwhelm her. "I won't…"

"Ha?"

Her body was strung tight, her fists shaking at her sides. "I refuse to let him touch me." She jolted roughly in his hold, twisting out of reach and disappearing down the hall before he had a chance to stop her.

Ayato grit his teeth, kicking the wall and feeling a dull thrum race up his leg from the impact.

The building blocks stacked impossibly high flashed in his minds eye. They tilted precariously, threatening to fall.

He wouldn't stand for it. She was his! The bastard knew that, but he just wanted to fuck with him, as always.

 _Just like that bitch…_

 _"Do you want to go back to the bottom of the lake, Ayato?"_

His mind refused to quiet throughout the rest of the day. When guests began to filter in for the informal banquet, he barely noticed.

The girl didn't show up to the feast. Her absence drilled into his thoughts. Come to think of it, when was that special meeting between her and his old man taking place?

His back snapped straight. Was she with him already?

He sucked in a sharp breath, the glass in his hand drawing his attention. The water trembled, as if something was shaking the ground. Like a force was coming no one could stop. Yeah, that was him wasn't it? He wasn't a kid anymore, he could- he could-

 _"I have no need of you, if you're utterly worthless to me."_

Ayato stifled a phantom choke, trying to ignore the sensation of water filling his lungs. This was bullshit. He wasn't doing this, not now.

Why did he still feel like this when he'd finally achieved something of worth? He'd be crowned king soon! The hell was he doing, thinking of these things again?

But a flash of his father's face made the taste of victory turn sickly sour. No, there was no victory if that bastard was still breathing. What's more, he was thinking of satisfying himself inside that girl, the one he'd claimed as his own…

Ayato set down the glass, hands balling into fists. _Don't underestimate me, old man. It pisses me off._

Laito glanced away from his conversation with a beautiful brunette to look at his brother, but Ayato had vanished.

* * *

Everything lay calm and still that morning. Not a ripple disturbed the motionless surface of the nearby lake. Sunlight blazed, scaling the walls of the castle and bathing every surface in a gentle glow. The kingdom's flag fluttered atop the massive structure.

Further down, stray strands of hair gently swayed in the breeze. The rest of the locks were twisted into a heavy fall, thrown over the side of the King's balcony.

And there, swinging lightly, hung the body of Karlheinz.

A guard who'd been on patrol all night, glanced up by chance whilst walking through the main courtyard. At first, disbelief had severed any action from his brain, but the moment the light hit the body in such a way that it highlighted the king's blank expression, the guard sprung into action.

Chaos descended on the kingdom in the form of frantic footfalls, yells, cries of alarm, thinking that an assassin had killed their king. It was only after the initial terror had subsided that attention was paid to the hair wrapped around his neck.

All blame immediately focused on the girl named Rapunzel.

Officials within the court hushed this information, wanting to handle the situation delicately. Several of them made their way to the throne room, panic quickening their steps.

When the door was cast open, the men stopped, taking in the image before them.

Prince Ayato comfortably lounged on the intricately carved throne, his leg thrown over the armrest. The murderer of the king sat happily on his lap, utterly clueless to their entrance. Ayato held her close, his gaze slanting up to meet the officials who stared at the couple in horror.

"What's with you?"

One man began, his voice shaking. "Y-your Highness, it pains me to say this with such little decorum but-"

"Your father, the former King, has been murdered." Interrupted another.

The girl on his lap glanced at them, her fingers threading in Ayato's loose shirt. He regarded them snidely, eyes filled with boredom. "Really?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We also have reason to believe that the girl with you has-"

"Heh, The King is Dead, Long live the King, right?" Ayato interrupted, moving his leg down and straightening in his seat.

Several of the officials looked at him with shock. "W-what?"

Other's kept a level gaze, expecting this reaction.

Ayato's hand slid up the girl's side, passing her ribs to caress the back of her neck. "This girl isn't someone the kingdom should worry about. She's mine. So I'll do what I want with her." His fingers tangled in her hair, tightening his grip on the cut locks.

Unflinching green eyes challenged any of them to protest.

The court officials didn't dare say a word. Speculation spread throughout the interior of the castle. Noblemen and guards felt they knew the truth, but none were certain in what really happened, save for the five brothers who stood on the sidelines, watching Ayato's coronation.

"It's as if he's carrying the murder weapon around with him. Does he have no tact?" Reiji frowned as Ayato stood close to the girl, the heavy crown adorning his head.

Kanato's nodded dazedly. "I wonder why he doesn't get rid of her?"

The crowd assembled cheered for their new king, the roar of shouts drowning out Laito's quiet chuckle. "I hope your building blocks don't tip over, Ayato. Be sure to mind them carefully~"

* * *

Slim fingers twirled short strands around absentmindedly. The girl read on, various notes adorning her desk, all regarding the kingdom's welfare and upkeep. Days once spent idle in the tower were now crammed full of study, meetings and research. Yet Rapunzel had never been happier.

Her mind absorbed the information like a sponge. Her love of books had made her useful in attending to things within the kingdom that Ayato didn't have an interest in.

Turning a page, her heart clenched, fingers freezing. Karlheinz's handwriting stared back at her.

She slowly, carefully, shut the book. Another reason of why she drowned herself in work began to crack the surface of her placid expression.

"Dear, the King requests an audience with you." A kind voice called out.

The girl jumped, weaving through nightmares in order to focus on the old maid. "A-Ayato needs me?"

All it took was a single nod, and she was already rising, clearing away her things. When she found that he awaited her in his quarters, she took a steadying breath, trying not to think of that night.

Yet with every step she took, her past self shadowed her footsteps. She could see herself walking to Karlheinz's bedchamber, like a lost lamb going to the slaughter. She'd entered, found him waiting inside, that kind, false smile on pale lips-

"Enter." A voice called, snapping her out of her daze.

Realizing she hadn't knocked, and was instead loitering outside his room, the girl quickly opened the door. Ayato stood by the window, arms crossed.

"You're late."

She rose a brow. "I wasn't aware we had plans?"

He released a sigh before grabbing the curtain, slowly sliding it shut. "You know what I mean. You've kept me waiting long enough."

When he drew in close, enough for her to heart to flutter, she stepped back. "Waiting for...what?"

His lips turned down into a frown. Grabbing her roughly by the arms, air rushed out of her lungs as she fell back onto the bed with a thud. He stood in-between her legs, shoving a knee between her thighs and prying them apart.

"Don't play innocent. You should thank my generosity. If it weren't for me, you'd have been exec-"

"Please don't remind me of it!" She wailed, gripping his forearms and squeezing her eyes shut.

A squeak escaped from her when his lips collided against her mouth. His tongue slid past her lips the moment she gave in, and he moaned as he tasted her deeply. The girl clung to him, feeling his muscles shift as he pushed her deeper into the mattress. Something nudged insistently against her, and she gasped, pulling back from their kiss.

"I'll burn any trace of him away." He said solemnly.

A hush fell over them. Their breaths intermingled. Ayato's gaze slid to her chest, which rapidly rose and fell with each pant. She knew now what that gaze meant, and her stomach fluttered. Spending the better part of her childhood with only fairy tale books, her knowledge about the intimacies shared in bed were limited and naturally, her curiosity took over when she'd come across certain books in the library.

But this wasn't like how they'd described it in the books. He shed her clothes and impatiently waited as she attempted to strip him, growling when she took longer than he wanted. Once his bare skin touched hers, her body flamed alight. A wetness and tightening need swelled inside her core. Instinctively, she rocked her hips against his, desperate to relieve the ache.

It was clumsy and rough at first. Teeth knocked, blunt nails scratched, biting into skin harshly, before hard fingers thrust and prodded their way into places that had her back arching.

"Heh, that's not a bad face you're making, it's actually kind of arousing." He murmured, voice muffled as he retracted his tongue from between her thighs.

He shifted above her, and she closed her eyes, a furious blush spread over her face. She could hear his pants, feel his fingers press over her skin, and when his hands lifted her thighs so her legs could wrap around him, a noise escaped her throat. That prodding that she felt earlier returned, only this time, it felt hotter and more real.

When he slid inside her, her eyes opened on reflex, and she tensed, expecting it to hurt. Ayato just smirked at her. His fingers only had to press against her sex to be coated in her fluids. "Can't pretend you're not enjoying it now, huh?"

And then he began to move. The sensation of him thrusting inside her built the ache in her core, until it consumed her entire body. Her fingers slid into his red hair, feeling its softness soak with sweat as he grunted and moved.

As the ache inside her curled her toes, white hot heat coxed her higher, and higher- until ravenous, soul splitting pleasure drowned out all thought.

Without the barriers of her mind, memories came rushing in.

She saw it all. The way her body had shaken violently, throwing off Karl's hands before he'd been able to do anything more than kiss her. _Wrong, all wrong!_ Her mind had screamed. Fairy tales lining the walls of the tower bled into her vision. Those stories had become her sole comfort in her isolation. To the point that they'd become her obsession.

When a prince had stepped through her window, she'd felt a thin veil of relief and peace wash over her. It'd been perfect. He was the same as her books by association of his title. She'd implicitly trusted him without needing any other reason.

So then, when had the situation turned so sour? Why did a King embrace her? Only a prince was supposed to have her.

The rest was a red haze. She recalled her fingers wrapping around his neck, squeezing and _squeezing_ as panic surged through her bloodstream. In another flash, they were struggling on the floor, her hair wound around his neck.

Then the voice of Ayato had startled her, his green eyes wide. Karlheinz had been coughing, retching on the floor, gasping for air.

She dimly remembered Ayato's voice calming her as they'd maneuvered the king over to the balcony. And then...

Strands of hair had twisted into a rope, strung tight around his neck as it gave a sickening _snap_. His head had lolled to the side, eyes vacant.

Ayato had brushed his fingers through her hair afterwards, muttering incoherent things as he'd cut her locks free with bloody scissors. Everything else was a blur, except for the few words that he echoed now, locked inside her and panting torn, ragged breaths.

"You're mine. And mine alone."


	5. Ruki Mukami

Chapter 5 ~ Ruki Mukami

Warnings: Smut, mentioning's of BDSM.

* * *

 **Ophidiophobia**

 _I seemed reborn in his unreflective eyes, reborn in unfamiliar shapes. I sensed in myself a potentiality for corruption that took my breath away._

 _~ Angela Carter_

She'd first become aware of the bars on her golden cage at a very young age. Her parents had given her a white summer dress, instructing her not to stain it. The girl had nodded without comprehending what she was agreeing to, and promptly chased after her three brothers. She'd climbed trees in that summer dress, and found the skirts cumbersome as she hitched them up to wade in the stream, searching for fish. After returning home with a grin full of milk teeth, and a brown and green frock, she'd been caned for her disobedience.

That was the first of many times.

She learned to hide her bruised knuckles under the table cloth, and clean her muddy boots before her mother caught sight of them. But nothing hid the wistfulness in her eyes as she watched her brothers play freely outside, while she sat indoors practicing sewing. Her aunt had noticed that longing stare, and convinced the girl's parents that she should be isolated from her siblings.

It took years to discipline her into a young woman fit for polite society. Imperfections were ironed out. Free thought squashed. Any individual talents were curbed into refining recreational hobbies such as poetry, sewing and music. All of this was to prepare her for marriage, to be the perfect wife.

And yet there was one thing that all the corsets, satin and lace couldn't temper. Her curiosity.

As she sat at a table, surrounded by dining guests in a lavish establishment, her gaze began to slide over the gentlemen. It was expected that she find a husband soon. Her aunt had made arrangements for a possible engagement with an older man, who sat across from her.

The woman felt a stiffness in her shoulders from sitting for so long. Rambunctious laughter from the gentleman joined tinkling giggles of the ladies, tightening the grip on her neatly folded hands.

Standing, she excused herself rigidly, earning a warning glance from her aunt. _Don't wander off._

Her heels clicked as she walked, escaping the conversation. Something warmed her hands under her gloves, until they were sweating, her stomach twisting into knots. It were as if her aunt were selling her to the highest bidder. Personality didn't matter. All that was needed was the quality of breeding, what cut of meat she was.

The woman stopped, catching the scent of spicy smoke from a tobacco pipe as it wafted in her direction. She watched with sudden interest as a gentleman approached a red curtain at the end of a long hall, and parted it, slipping inside.

Other gentleman followed, some having women on their arms, and she wondered what was going on. What lay beyond the red curtain that everyone else seemed to ignore?

She glanced around, finding herself alone.

Interest carried her forward, crushing hesitation under her heel. She noticed a staff member approaching, most likely to man the entrance. He hadn't spotted her, so quickly creeping down the hall, she grasped the curtain and pulled it aside, hurrying through the hidden doorway.

There was another, longer hallway awaiting her inside. This one however, was dark, illuminated only by large square panels on the walls, which were lit up from within the glass, like museum displays. Gentleman were sipping wine, looking into the panels with interest. It was deathly quiet.

Trying her best to remain inconspicuous, she slowly walked forward, apprehension falling over her as she peered into the first panel on her right.

Her eyes flew wide.

A couple were engaging in what she could only assume was a sexual act. But it was in a way she'd never conceived. Glass separated them from the hallway, drowning out all noise of their lovemaking. A woman was suspended in the air by ropes, a blindfold covering her eyes. More ropes were strung tight and thin over her body. Her arms were bound behind her back, legs spread wide open and each held apart by separate ropes hanging from the ceiling. A man stood between her legs, thrusting wildly.

It looked more like torture than anything else. Yet their mouths hung open, a hint of a smile on their lips. Sweat clung to their bodies.

The woman stared. Her heel drew back instinctively, surprised beyond anything that she was feeling _something_. It'd been such a long time since she'd felt anything but numbness.

With morbid fascination, she couldn't stop herself from walking to each 'display.' She felt shock from each one, her mind racing to take it all in. Some had same sex couples, others groups. Some had leather, wax, metal, ropes, or just skin sliding against bare skin.

What was this place? Judging from the hushed atmosphere, it wasn't a public attraction. The spectators of the erotic displays, watched with an intensity that pricked the hair at the back of her neck. She slipped by them to yet another curtain.

This room was wider. Some men and women sat on plush sofas, surrounding various stages set up in the room. More couples were moving onstage, but this time their cries rang loudly for all to hear.

The woman shakily stepped away, hiding behind a pillar. She needed to leave.

She'd once read a book that had described similar acts, but those types of things felt so removed from her clean and orderly life that the text read more like fiction. Her life was made up of dinner parties, white satin dresses and polite, empty conversation. This was not normal, this wasn't something she was supposed to know about.

Her maid, Clara, who'd had a sexual encounter last spring, explained that she'd only had to lay back and move with her lover. Their sex life had sounded completely different to what she was witnessing.

"Excuse me, Madam? Do you have an invitation?" She jumped at the sound of a voice.

A man was waiting expectantly, his uniform the same as the ones within the dining room that felt so far away. Her breathing quickened, to the point that she was fighting to take gulps of air. Her corset dug into her ribs, restricting her lungs until it felt like steel rings were crushing bone and flesh together.

"Madam?" He asked again, confused.

"It's alright. She's a guest of mine." Came a new voice.

She glanced up at a dark haired gentleman. Striking blue-grey eyes stared down at her. The uniformed man bowed politely, leaving without another word. She barely comprehended it when the man took her arm and murmured; "Come.''

Her footsteps were shaky and blurred to her own eyes. Her breathing became erratic. The man pulled her behind a pillar at the very back of the room, shadowed from view. He then promptly turned her around and grabbed the material of her dress.

"W-what!" She chocked.

"Calm down." He muttered, an undercurrent of sternness in his voice.

She felt the laces of her dress be tugged and pulled loose, before the corset crushing her ribs was unclasped and ripped open. She gasped gratefully, feeling the cool air on her bare back as she breathed large gulps of oxygen into starved lungs.

The man remained behind her, holding the material of her dress as her breathing slowed. "Th-thank you."

"Mm."

She placed her shaking hands on the pillar, feeling her heartbeat quiet in her ears. Her dress slipped down on her arms, suddenly making her keenly aware of their positions.

Her back snapped straight when she heard his low murmur. "So, were you struggling to breathe because of the corset, or from the 'entertainment' you just witnessed?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him, eyes wide. "E-excuse me?" Warmth colored her cheeks. "Why does it matter to you?" Shifting uncomfortably, she was distantly aware that all her decorum and grace had fled. She felt naked in-front of him, despite only her back being exposed.

His gaze turned flat, fingers tightening on the ties of her corset. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not asking out of a sense of perversion. I'm merely gauging your level of interest. Its not often an unmarried woman stumbles in here."

The woman turned to face him, pressing her back against the marble of the pillar. It cooled her warm skin, soothing her frazzled nerves. "Of course not, her reputation would be questioned if anyone saw her."

He rose a brow, lip curling into a smirk. "Funny that you didn't leave the moment you could."

"I...I thought about it. If anyone finds out then it'll ruin my marriage prospects. No future husband wants a woman with loose morals." She glanced away, finding it difficult to hold his intent stare.

"You place allot of importance on a hypothetical man who doesn't even exist in your life yet. Its strangely loyal, and yet your curiosity to see _more_ obviously won out."

Her shoulders grew ridged. She took another look at him, noting the casual way he stood with his hands in his pockets. He was an oddly intimidating man. Despite never raising his voice higher than a calm, lulling tone, an undercurrent of sternness threaded his words. His clothes were that of an upper-class, but he wore them slightly loose.

"Who _are_ you, sir?"

Blue-grey eyes narrowed, the baritone in his voice smoothing into fine velvet. "Ruki Mukami. And you?"

She introduced herself with an awkward curtsy that felt foolish, before raising her chin. "I appreciate your help. But my motivations are not something for you to laugh at." She folded her hands in front of her. Her identity past that of being an unmarried women felt paper thin, and she was uncertain how to feel about being branded a voyeur in place of it.

Ruki gazed down at her, unnerving in his stillness. "I'm not laughing at you. Just at the riddle of an unmarried woman taking such obvious interest in something forever barred to her." Shock thrummed through her chest. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before it was wiped away. His expression turned considering. "Unless you think your husband will be well-versed in such carnal acts?"

She swallowed, thinking of the gentleman waiting for her return at the dinner table. "No, he won't."

Ruki rose a brow, lean muscle shifting as he took a step closer. "Do you want him to be?"

"I don't know. What about you? Are y-you well-versed in those...areas?" Her bare back pressed harder into the marble. What was she saying? She wasn't supposed to ask those things! Yet the sounds of lovemaking still reached her ears, flipping her lower stomach into a confused bundle of nerves.

"Oh? Have you taken an interest in me already?" Ruki leaned away, chuckling quietly at her mortified expression. He finally took his eyes off her, and she felt as if a physical weight had lifted from her shoulders. He shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at the couple on the nearest stage.

"These displays are more for public entertainment. Those men and women will go home tonight and the pleasure they experienced will fade. Nothing of it will last in their consciousness." His eyes pinned her in place once more.

He continued, steel in his voice. "I prefer a lasting loyalty. Different to marriage, but no less serious. I'm sure you wouldn't care to know the particulars."

"No-I..." She surprised herself, and stopped. He waited patiently as she swallowed and damned herself in the privacy of her mind. "Please explain what you meant by a _lasting loyalty_."

Ruki smiled. Something swept into her heart, stirring it into a rhythm that left her breathless. "Well, for instance; If _we_ were to marry, I'd be more interested in being your Master than your Husband." The strangely blase way he said it made her initially think he was joking. However, the seriousness conveyed in his unflinching stare made her still.

 _My Master?_ The astonishment that wiped her mind blank must have shown on her face, as Ruki tilted his head condescendingly.

"Surely an unmarried woman, bred and sold like livestock understands my meaning."

Though he looked to be only a few years older than herself, she felt entirely too young and naive to continue speaking with him. But the burning questions refused to be snuffed out. She wanted to know and experience that jaded, cold pleasure darkening his gaze. ' _Why'_ remained to be seen, but as he laced up her corset once more and chaperoned her back to her aunt's side, a sudden despair threatened to pour past her teeth in the form of a scream.

The pure, clean white gloves on the gentlemen's hands. The handkerchiefs that dabbed against the smiling, ruby red lips of the ladies. Such small things dug into her heart and unraveled her. She would die if she continued in that empty environment, free of meaning. That place behind the curtain may have been terrifying, but it was grim and imperfect and shattering in its honesty. Now that she'd felt _something_ , going back to numbness was unthinkable.

She spun on her heel and called to Ruki as he was walking away.

He stopped, hands still in his pockets. She ignored her aunt's comments on her impropriety. "I might not understand your meaning. But I'd like to learn."

She waited with baited breath, knowing that if he left, her soul would have to be squashed and flattened. She would fold it neatly within the pages of her diary, never to be verbally or physically expressed again.

Her watery eyes blurred the image of him turning to look at her, but she heard his words clearly. "Then I will oblige you."

The relief that swamped her was just as gratifying as stuffing her hands into that creak all those years ago, in her ruined summer dress.

* * *

Their courtship had been incredibly short. Ruki had charmed her parents using his title as a marquis, without having to reveal one intimate detail about himself. She noticed that he gave off a very practiced air of manipulation, dealing with her family easily. Yet a strange tug at the edge of his lips, gradually pulling downwards as the night had wore on, hinted he detested false pleasantries and empty conversation.

Just as he'd said, she'd been sold as easily as livestock.

They were currently approaching his home; A mansion entirely isolated, miles from the nearest village. Ruki was reading a blue bound book, and had been silent for most of the journey, despite it having taken several days. She didn't mind this however, as it gave her an opportunity to think, something that used to be impossible under her aunt's supervision.

She leaned her head against the side of the carriage. Ruki hadn't explained his meaning clearly until their fifth, and final date.

 _"If you give yourself to me, you are allowing me to become your Master. I have no interest in being your Husband in anything other than name. If you accept, then I will take care of you. However in any circumstance that you were to disobey me, you will be punished. The severity of the punishment varies according to what you have done."_

 _She'd stared into his eyes, mind flashing back to the images of bodies sliding and writhing together in a confusing blend of pain and pleasure. Ruki seemed to read her easily as he stood from his seat, kneeling in front of her._

 _He lifted his hand, presenting a ring. His voice never changed from that calm, steady tone. "Do you accept my hand?"_

 _She looked at his face, which was wiped of expression. "Yes." She nodded, not needing to force a smile. Her hand reached out to touch his, and his fingers instantly closed around hers._

 _"Then Bluebeard Manor, and everything it entails, will become yours."_

She knew next to nothing about the enigmatic man she'd married, but the stirring in her heart made it difficult to regret her decision even as she failed to trust him. He hadn't ruined her reputation by exposing her identity that day behind the red curtain, or heaven forbid, taken advantage of her after stripping her of the corset, but all she knew was the bare minimum; That he was an orphan, and had been previously married.

None of his other family members or friends had attended the wedding.

He played the part of a bored aristocrat masterfully, concealing all dark intentions beneath veils of courtesy. But she _knew_ he had dark intent. It was always there, lurking behind his gaze like a specter possessing his body.

The wife suddenly started, shaken by the stop of the carriage. She lifted her head, only to find Ruki smirking slightly at her. "You're quite unguarded, Livestock. I'm surprised you were able to sleep so peacefully, sat with a stranger."

Since before the wedding, he'd taken to calling her the unflattering name of 'Livestock'. It never failed to insult her, but he'd seemed to have made a conscious decision to distance himself from her real name and any mentioning of it.

"I-I didn't realize I'd drifted off."

She jumped as the carriage door opened. Ruki rose from his seat, climbing out. She followed, struggling in her dress to find her footing from the space between carriage and the pebbled ground. Ruki made no effort to help as he casually announced; "We're here."

Looking up, she found herself within the shadow of the mansion. It shared it's Master's air of intimidation, looming above her and stretching out on both sides, hinting at the amount of space within. It's design was that of faded magnificence. Obvious care had gone into maintaining the grounds, making the whole place feel quietly important, but the atmosphere felt lifeless and solemn.

She heard a noise, and turned, watching another carriage stop behind them. Clara, her loyal maid from home, emerged from inside, staring at the mansion with wide eyes and smiling at her. The wife returned it, and looked around at the vast gardens surrounding them.

The dull greenery was interrupted however, by a single, solitary tree. It's dark, murky bark looked as if it'd been scotched by fire, and the sharp, lean branches had no leaves or buds blooming on them despite the season. For some reason, the tree made a shudder of fright pass down her spine. It was dead, but still grotesquely standing.

"Don't loiter."

Ruki's voice drew her forward, and she tried to shake the uncomfortable dread the tree had unearthed in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

After briefly glancing around the rooms, she'd found that most of them were locked. Not pressing the issue, she had wandered in search of staff, unable to find any.

"Do you not have many servants?" She'd asked, surprise in her voice as she stared at him.

Ruki had been in the kitchen, preparing their meals. It was one of the strangest sights she'd ever laid eyes on. His expression shuttered, before hardening, the usual air of quiet confidence returning to him. "There's no need for a large amount. Only a few of the rooms are in use, and those that are employed do the bare minimum. Understand, Livestock? You've led an incredibly spoiled life so far. Learn to be self sufficient, and there will be no problems."

He was so utterly unlike anything she'd ever known. Every morning since she could remember, servants like Clara had dressed her, picked what ribbons to go in her hair, cooked her food, and tended to her clothes. It felt odd to walk around the empty mansion with no one around. It made her fully notice her freedom.

But now the sound of her pulse rang violently loud in her ears.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, pale moonlight touching her features. The lace and satin silk of her nightgown seemed to give off it's own glow as she waited with baited breath, smoothing stiff fingers down her form.

The door to their bedchamber swayed open noiselessly, and her head snapped up as Ruki entered.

He was dressed casually, white button up shirt slightly open. He shut the book in his hand and blinked at her, his low chuckle making her tense. "Have you been standing like that all this time?"

Ruki walked over, reaching past her to set the book down. "You don't need to overthink these things, Livestock." When he drew back, his eyes darkened. "Though, seeing you waiting so anxiously for me is certainly a good sight. I'd be pleased if your thoughts were as erratic as your breathing right now."

Cold fingers cupped her chin, sliding down to splay at the base of her throat. He bent to kiss her, and she inhaled sharply through her nose. The kiss was controlled, but he knew how to coax out her desire as his lips parted hers. He drew back slightly, smiling. "Such obedience. I have to wonder if that day you defied your Aunt was a fluke. Are you more tamed than first thought?"

"Ruki-"

" _Livestock_." His hand slid over her shoulders, down the curve of her back, pushing her hard against him so that she could feel the full length of his body. The sharp angle of his hips pressing into hers became an exquisite, bruising pressure.

She wet her lips, hating the word, but finding the strange knot in her stomach warmed upon saying it. "M-master."

He swiftly turned her so that she faced away from him, and sat down on the bed, bringing her with him. She froze on his lap, feeling the sinuous contours of him beneath and behind her. "What are you going to do?" She breathed.

" _Curious_? Don't be. I told you not to overthink. It's a Master's duty to see to their charge."

She trembled when his hand went to the laces at her back, pulling the strings loose with evident control. Yet when she felt a harness pressing against the base of her spine, barely separated by the thin, damp silk that covered her, she knew she wasn't the only one affected. The lace of the nightgown fell away in his hands, and she caught her breath, pants sounding too loud in the silent room. Ruki chuckled, amused by her obvious want. He stripped her until she was fully nude, painfully aware of his clothed body.

She arched mindlessly as his hand cupped her breast, grinding into her from behind. Hard fingers pressed against her entrance, his arms trapping her against him as he held her back against his chest.

"Look up."

She obeyed, stunned by her reflection the full-length mirror. The woman looking at her was the very picture of decadence. Her cheeks rosy red, mouth slightly agape. Ruffled dark hair brushed her neck, his lips pressing to her bare skin in tantalizingly slow kisses, rocking his hips. She stilled as his head rose, catching her gaze in the mirror and holding it as his fingers nudged her legs wide, before entering her.

It was an incredibly fascinating yet bizarre sight. He fondled her breast, drawing a gasp, her toes curling as his other hand made a come-hither motion inside her slick folds. It felt shameful to watch herself, as if they were a couple behind the red curtain, and she quickly squeezed her eyes shut as pleasure boiled under her skin.

"You _will_ watch, Livestock. Open your eyes." His hand abandoned her breast to grasp her chin, raising it. Her eyes snapped open as he thrust his fingers within her sharply, and she chocked on a moan.

She'd never seen his eyes so dark. The pupils were shadowed in the deepest blue, pinning her in place. "Don't turn away for an instant, or there will be consequences."

She shivered uncontrollably. His voice sounded so close to her ear, breath dancing across her neck.

A whimper escaped her as his pace quickened, fingers curling inside her and drawing obscene sounds from her lips. She was aching, pulsing, yearning against her better judgement for relief. His fingers sent delicious licks of flames over her skin, addicting and yet not enough.

Just as she felt the pressure within her spike, he retracted them, digits slick. He wasted no time in unbuckling his belt, and she felt that hard pressure return, though this time it was hot, real and frightening. Her eyes widened as something parted her folds, watching as his hand left her chin to hold her hip.

His gaze never left hers. Ruki entered her with treacle immediacy, easing into her inch by frustrating inch. She tried to move, but his nails dug into the skin of her hips until she froze. He didn't stop until he filled her to the brim, breath quickening slightly.

As he began to shift below her, sliding in and out with that achingly tortuous pace, she understood why he didn't bind her hands or blindfold her.

He didn't need to. She watched her expression distort as his hard length slid inside, and knew that this was not lovemaking. This was a claiming, a seduction. Every action reflected on the glass seared into her mind. He seemed determined to force every gasp, every moan every plea past her lips.

The wife shuddered, head falling back to rest against his shoulder. His thrusts became rougher, arms tightening around her body like a snake coiled around prey. Quiet grunts caught her ear as he hit her sweet spot buried deep inside, and she tightened around him, needles of heat shivering through her body as she came undone.

Ruki didn't stop until he was quivering slightly. The cool and quiet mask he wore splintered, allowing her a glimpse of something real, raw and dark.

His expression terrified her. It was one of hollow satisfaction, as if the thing lurking inside him all that time had been an emptiness that sought to consume her.

* * *

Sometime later in the night, she was woken by the sound of harsh chocking. Sitting up in bed alone, she noticed light peaking out from underneath an adjoining door. Sliding the cover off, she padded over, her hand hesitating, before she grasped the handle and pulled.

Ruki was bent over a wash basin, shirtless and retching. The sounds were torn, laced with pain, but it was the sight of his back that startled her beyond all else.

There were two large, jagged scars over his shoulder-blades.

As if sensing her, Ruki turned, eyes narrow and blank. In an instant, his hand was wrapped around her throat, backing her out of the room. "Quickly forget what you just saw." He breathed, teeth chattering, depthless madness in his eyes.

She chocked out a 'yes' and the pressure faded just as the door slammed shut in her face.

* * *

The wife took to her new role like a duck to water, the majority of her days comprised of housework and simple tasks. All of this was strangely freeing, as Ruki had no interest in demanding she ware a corset or tight dresses. Learning how to cook with Clara's help, gradually strengthening the muscles in her thin arms from honest work, and developing a small hesitant smile that belonged to no one but herself, the wife basked in her marriage.

She spied Ruki watching her work on more than one occasion, his eyes a fraction wider, before he'd turn away, as if frustrated.

Her husband was mostly absent from her days. He was usually found in the study, pouring over papers or reading from one of his many books. When she did see him it was usually right before he pried apart her defenses, sometimes using sensory deprivation to make her body shudder in delicious ecstasy.

They never spoke about the scars on his back, and she lay awake but unmoving as he coughed in pain every night.

"Would you care to join me in the garden, Clara?" The wife asked, some months later, lingering in the doorway.

Her maid quickly shook her head. "No thank you, Mistress. Remember two summers ago, when that bee stung my neck? It near scared me to death! What's more, it actually left a scar." She pulled down her collar, showing a small red mark that had the wife shaking her head.

"I understand, if it was that traumatic then I won't force you." She giggled.

She stepped out onto the dry grass, the overcast sky blocking out all traces of the sun. Walking to the entrance of the mansion, she noticed a large cart approaching, filled with various foods they'd ordered.

As two men wordlessly got to work on carrying in the food, an old woman approached her, talking in a foreign tongue. The wife shook her head, motioning that she didn't understand, and the woman changed to her language, though it was slightly broken.

"New wife?"

The wife nodded, and shook her gnarled hand. The old woman glanced at the dead tree, a stillness in her eyes. "Young Master should not have come back here. Old house full of- terrible memories."

Puzzled, the wife looked at the dead tree, her heart stuttering when the flash of something horrid filled her eyes. For just a moment, the image of a body had hung from it's decayed branches. The sound of crows cawing filled her ears.

"We used to see him travel through our village with his wife. Different woman each time."

The wife snapped out of her daze.

Giving a dusty laugh, the old woman turned, muttering. "I am surprised he brings his wives here. Bad omen."

Unable to fully accept her words, the wife was seized with an urge to see her husband. Though she wouldn't be able to ask about it, she simply felt an honest, panicked need to be near him. Shaken, she quickly walked to the study after they'd left, finding it strangely empty. She eventually found him in their bedroom, packing a suitcase.

She stopped dead. Ruki turned and rose a brow. "What is it?"

"Are you going somewhere?"

"I've received a letter from my benefactor. He needs to see me urgently. I'll be away for a week."

"Oh." She was unable to keep the disappointment from her voice. Ruki's eyes widened fractionally, and they both stood in silence for a moment.

He shut the case with a click, and pulled it off the bed, before walking to her. She raised her eyes to meet his, and found them unreadable as he seemed uncharacteristically hesitant.

"Something wrong?" She asked, concerned.

"It's nothing. Here." He handed her a metal ring, full of keys. "These are all keys to the locked rooms. You can open and explore all of them at your leisure, except one." Ruki slid several keys aside, revealing a small, inconspicuous copper one. "When you find the lock that this key fits, you must not open it. The room behind that door holds my private affairs. You will obey, won't you?"

"Yes, of course." She said, following him to the front door.

"Good." That hesitation in his eyes fell away, into misty blue depths of raw emotion that she couldn't fathom. His hand came up to rest on her head in a gentle stroke that had her eyes widening. In a blink, the emotion was gone, replaced by heavy resignation as he removed his hand.

"Take care, Livestock." He said tonelessly.

She hesitated, before smiling gently. "I'll miss you."

Ruki's jaw tightened, before he turned and left.

She watched him climb into the carriage, words dying on her tongue and tasting of something like regret.

* * *

A silver key slid noiselessly into a lock, and she watched as it clicked open. Walking inside another previously locked room, she found that this one was decorated with fine silks. China was displayed in full view, obviously expensive and of a fine quality.

It was the same as the others.

After exploring the study, she'd been surprised to find the locked rooms filled with such lavish things when Ruki obviously didn't care for them. And every room, though the same in it's expensive frivolity, was slightly different. Some were rampant in outlandish colors, while others were muted and simple. It was as if a different personality had designed each one.

 _Unless..._

 _"I am surprised he brings his wives here. Bad omen."_

Had the old woman been right? Had Ruki been previously married more than once?

But as she opened another door, this time filled with files all arranged into different draws, she found all the proof she needed.

Three marriage certificates awaited her inside a filing cabinet.

The first marriage had been to an opera singer. She recognized the name, which had circulated the upper class when she'd disappeared and been pronounced dead. She'd never even known the singer had gotten married, and bargained that the other elites hadn't either.

The second was a name she didn't recognize, but it had a flashy signature and style that made her think of the bright colors in some of the rooms. An artist perhaps?

And the third was signed in incredibly fragile letters. She could only guess that the muted, lifeless colors were linked with her.

What really turned her stomach though, was the sight of _her_ marriage certificate lying among them. As if part of a sick collection.

"Why?" She chocked, holding the paper with shaking fingers. Why hide this information, but give her the key to it months after they'd married? What had happened to these women?

She quickly stumbled from the room, the keys in her hand jangling loudly. Heart thudding, her eyes fell down to the keys, in particular, the small, rusted copper one.

The forth wife didn't hesitate, she unlocked every room she could find. Doors swayed open, unexplored as she searched for a lock that the forbidden key fit.

Eventually, her search brought her to the ground floor, to a hallway with a single door tucked away at the end of it. She'd passed by the hallway many times, and had never noticed it.

Apprehension weighed her steps down as she approached. Blood thundered in her veins.

The cool metal of the key felt ice cold to her sweaty palms. Her fingers shook, before tightening their hold and turning the key in the lock.

She pushed the door open, wincing as it creaked loudly in the deafening silence. Instantly, a foul smell filled her lungs. She coughed, and tried not to retch, feeling her throat constrict. Pitch black darkness awaited her inside, so she hastily brought out some spare matches, inching into the inky shadows that swallowed her whole. Following the wall along, she came to a candle holder, and raised her match, lighting the wick and stepping back. When she turned, the figures in the room were blurred, pale images.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting however, she froze.

The shapeless forms sharpened in the murky shadow, until arms, legs and torso registered in her mind.

Suspended from a wooden beam on the far wall, a body was hanging upside-down. They hung from one foot, the other leg was bent at the knee, and she distantly recognized the pose from one of her old servant's tarot cards. The figure had been crudely manipulated to be reminiscent of The Hanged Man.

She noticed, with a calm that she did not feel, that two more bodies were in the room, one for each wall aside from the one she backed into. Her heart strained in her chest.

They were women.

Though their bodies had decomposed, she could tell from their regal clothes. The fact that they wore such finery made her shrink back in terror.

 _Ruki's former wives._

Horror numbed her. Hands trembled, lurching sporadically and sending the small key to the blood stained floor. It clattered noisily, ringing in her ears as she quickly bent to retrieve it, swaying weakly and running out of the room.

She slammed the door shut, turning the key with a snap and yanking it free. Something drummed hard and fast in her bloodstream, until she was outside on her knees, retching.

* * *

Throat raw, she nursed a hot drink in her quivering hands, taking an absentminded sip every now and then. The wife had tried everything. Cold water, hot, baking soda, vinegar, _nothing_ would remove the bloodstains on the copper key.

She now sat beside the window, knees drawn up and watching the sunset with a numbness that incapacitated her. There was no where to run, not from Ruki. She knew he'd hunt her down, and with the way her legs refused to stop shaking, it felt useless to try.

So it was with quiet, unfathomable terror that she watched his carriage pull up, not two days after he'd left.

A cry rose up inside her, but she stifled it, standing from the window and facing the door. She distantly heard him enter, the sounds echoing around the lonely mansion. Footsteps drifted closer and closer.

She folded her arms over her stomach to try and keep from falling apart as he entered the room.

He stopped as soon as he lay eyes on her, hands in his pockets. His face was wiped clean of expression. Even his eyes were flat, emotion stifled within the dark depths.

"Will you not welcome me back, Livestock?" He asked quietly.

His wife tensed, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he already knew. "Welcome home."

Blue-grey eyes fell shut, and a sigh escaped him. When he opened them once more, Ruki seemed older, worn thin. "I'll have the keys back now." He held out his hand.

"Y-yes." She quickly grabbed the keys, and handed them over.

He didn't even glance at them as he held her gaze captive, "...and the other."

She swallowed against the burst of panic, fear and sadness, her voice cracking. "Ruki...I-" Her trembling hand fished in her pocket, before hesitantly showing the bloody key.

Ruki scarcely reacted, though a somewhat defeated look flashed on his face. "Thought as much. Although I admit...this time a part of me did hope..."

"Why, Ruki? Why did you- how could you-"

The dark haired man turned, his steps taking him to a painting she'd never properly inspected before. It was that of a man with unusual silver hair. His eyes were narrow and cruel. Ruki regarded him solemnly. "It is the desire of that man. Once I've taken a wife, the same thing happens every time."

He sighed once more. "I don't know what my benefactor gets out of my killing, but I owe him too great a debt to question it. This house, and my fortune was lost when my father went bankrupt many years ago. I met several boys after that, who became my brothers in a place that resembled hell. If it weren't for my benefactor adopting us, we would've died there in squalor. He paid for our education, and is still shepherding their lives even now. I managed to reclaim this house because of him. He never specified how to kill my first wife, so I invented the room and bought a truth telling key that runs red when you use it. At least that way, whenever I gave my wives the key and they betrayed my trust, I could reason their murder as paying for their transgressions."

"So you gave them the ultimate punishment: Death." She shook her head. "I-I cant believe this. You said you'd take care of me, you probably promised them the same, and yet you call them traitors just to assuage your guilt."

His eyes slid back to her, watching her with an open, hollow expression. "I did wonder if you'd be the first to resist the temptation. You've been more loyal than any other, and...different. But in the end all women are the same. You're just out for self-satisfaction."

Fear was briefly forgotten as she yelled. "That's not true!"

"No? My first wife married me out of greed. The second to satisfy her own pride. The third was a sickly, fearful creature, who used my security to eat and drink herself into contentment. And you-" Ruki suddenly stepped close, his usual scent that reminded her of petrichor filled her senses."My Forth, my naive _Livestock_. You're perhaps the most similar to me. You accepted my offer, to try and gain freedom, but in reality, you were just trading one cage for another. Your curiosity couldn't be overcome, could it?"

She shook her head, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "But I never wanted to use you, Ruki. I went in search of answers because I wanted to know more about you. I care for y-"

"I gave you the keys to the rest of the house, that was enough."

She laughed derisively. "You honestly expected me to find your heart in the study? Pressed paper thin among cheque's and finances?" Her energy left her all at once, and she deflated. "That's why I opened that awful room."

Ruki watched her quietly, his lips tilting up into a rueful smile. "Well, you succeeded in finding my heart. Was it not to your liking?"

She daringly reached out and grabbed his shirt, hands resting over his chest as her eyes narrowed. "That room may be a part of you, but it's not your heart. Perhaps it's scattered with your brothers. But it is not here. It never was." Voice dropping into a broken whisper, nothing prepared her for the arms that wrapped around her.

She shuddered as he buried his nose in her hair, lips brushing her neck as he murmured her real name for the first time. Though it was foolish, she clung to him, surprised when he sagged into her heavily, crushing her against him. His wife closed her eyes against the wave of sadness that swamped her.

Outside the room, Clara wandered in search of her employers.

"Mistress, are you there?" She called, unable to find any trace of her or the Master. Calling again, she started when she heard panicked screaming, and quickly raced forward. The screams urged her on, until she stood before a single door. Grabbing the handle, she tore it open, words of worry on the tip of her tongue-

* * *

Clouds drifted languidly across the sky as a tall man exited the carriage, tipping his hat to the driver. He met Ruki's solemn eyes with glittering gold, and smiled disarmingly.

Ruki nodded in greeting as he ushered the older man inside the mansion. "How was your journey, Sir?"

Karlheinz smirked, walking with all the grace and dignity of an aristocrat. "Uneventful. I read your letter on the way though. It is a shame you couldn't be a little more expressive with the details."

His ward shrugged. "She proved to be the same as the others."

Karl hummed noncommittally, stopping as his eyes landed on a maid, who bowed politely when she realized he was staring at her.

"Did you get a new maid, Ruki?"

"Her name is Clara." His voice was dulled and bored as he replied.

Karl picked up her hand and kissed it, searching her face for a reaction. "A pleasure, my dear."

The maid's eyes lowered to the floor, and he smiled, dropping her hand and continuing on his way. Ruki didn't spare her a glance as he followed silently.

She quickly turned and grabbed her basket of washing, busying herself with work. Sitting on her knees before a wash basin outside, the water running over her hands kept blinking out of existence, replaced with glaring red.

 _"Did you trade one cage for another, Ruki_? _Is that what happened to you_? _"_

She scrubbed her hands harder.

 _"Livestock can never obtain freedom."_

Skin broke on her fingers, but the pain felt distant.

 _His breath had shuddered. "This must be done. A body is needed to satisfy him."_

 _"Mistress, are you there_? _" A voice had called._

 _'A body is needed.'_

 _Their eyes had connected, a single thought passing between them, one that alarmed and sickened her, but drenched his dazed expression with relief._

She'd begged and pleaded with him to stop, clawing at his arms, but Ruki had refused to listen. Now the proof of her sin hung suspended in that dark, terrible room, dressed in clothes fit for a Queen. Only one thing betrayed the body's identity; An old scar from a bee sting.


	6. Laito Sakamaki

Chapter 6 ~ Laito Sakamaki

Warnings: Smut, Laito's usual 'antics' mixed with the original Little Mermaid. Non con ahead. This is Laito we're talkin about, so if you're used to his 'quirks' then read on. I think you should be aware, just in case the lack of consent triggers you.

* * *

 **Carnal Malefactors**

 _Every step she took was as the witch had said it would be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives; but she bore it willingly._

 _~ Hans Christian Anderson_

"It is said that mermaids are soulless beings. Birthed from sea foam and raised in the cold, bottomless depths of the ocean, they are unable to fathom or experience that which makes humans, human." The rich voice of the teacher bounced off the walls of the large room, reaching every student. One of them closed her eyes as she listened intently.

"Much like the cruel and unforgiving sea, they've gained a reputation for summoning storms with the mere cadence of their singing, drowning any sailors that try to survive."

The student blinked, leaning away from the metal grate beside her ear. Feeling a chill in the air, she adjusted her position on the rough rock beneath her, glancing up at the high windows of the school that overlooked the sea. Water splashed into the air as it hit the rocks by her tail, fanning droplets onto cool, bare skin. A memory clouded the mermaid's mind as she thought of webbed fingers locked tight in the fabric of a man's shirt as he flailed and chocked, water filling his lungs.

"Sir! How exactly do mermaids breathe underwater?" A young voice piped up.

She heard the teacher exhale. "Well, as we can see here-" the sound of something tapping against an object reached her keen hearing. She wanted so badly to sit in the classroom that lay above her. Countless times she'd leaned against that metal grate outside, inches away from the safety of the water and yet so far from the progressive minds of the humans. She'd learned so much from sitting there, absorbing their knowledge like a sponge.

"They have gills just behind their ears. This particular sample is damaged from when she was killed by the generous sailors who donated her to us. There's a puncture wound in her neck, most likely caused by a harpoon." The teacher said methodically.

Unable to hear anymore, the mermaid leaped off her favorite rock, out from the shadows and into the water that rushed up to embrace her. Time and time again, knowledge caused her pain. It opened her eyes to things she'd previously been blind to. She yearned to bridge the gap between their kinds.

 _"We're teaching him to swim properly!"_ Her younger sister had giggled merrily, dragging a helpless man deeper into the crushing currents below.

 _"He can't breathe! Let him be, or you'll kill him this way! Human's have a different biology to us, his lungs-"_ she'd tried to reason, but her sisters had laughed.

Ignored, she could only watch as the man turned blue, spasming before going still.

So absorbed in her thoughts, the mermaid didn't notice something drifting in the water beside her until it glimmered in the sunlight. Her tail stilled, and she swept a hand out, watching as it drifted easily into her palm. She knew what it was, though she'd never found one before. Checking her location, she swam up, breaking the surface of the water and hiding in the shadows of a nearby outcrop of rock. Holding it up between webbed fingers, she reached into the sunlight so that it bathed the tiny jewel in a warm glow.

It was a single, unblemished tear.

Perfect Tears were rare, beautiful treasures. They were only formed when humans cried, but from what she knew, only a specific pain and despair gave the tears solid form. Some mermaids wore the tears as jewelry, since they were so rare and precious.

The young mermaid watched as it glittered in the blazing sunlight. The tear was new, pure and dainty.

A child's tear.

Something squeezed in her chest, and she gripped it tight in her hand, glancing around her at the buildings lining the shores. Dipping under the surface once more, she followed the coastline of the seaside town, wondering which current the tear had been swept up in. Thinking of the private harbor nearby, she thrashed her tail in the water behind her. Surfacing, and carefully staying hidden from sight in the shadows of nearby rocks, she stopped when she spied a small figure sitting on the pier.

His legs were swung over the side, head bowed, reddish-brown hair hiding his expression. The mermaid watched him for a long while, and though he shed no tears, she somehow felt that the Perfect Tear belonged to him.

Wrestling with herself, she mimicked the human expression of sighing, finding that it made her feel better. Steeling her nerves, she disappeared into darker waters, drifting along the bottom of the seabed. Rising just below the shadows of the pier that was elevated slightly above her, she blinked the moister from her eyes and hesitated. Though open minded to communication between the two species, it wasn't something to take lightly. She'd never conversed with a human before.

But despite never sharing one word, she'd never been able to shake her interest in them. She wondered about their natures, how they lived, but it was their penchant for expressing complex emotions that appealed to her. Squeezing the tear, she hesitantly swept her arms through the water, inching closer. Opening her mouth, it clicked shut, trying to form the right words.

She stayed unaware of her hushed, rehearsed mutterings, until a voice called out.

"Hello, miss mermaid~"

She froze, snapping her gaze up to where a pair of eyes glittered. They stared at her from in-between the planks of wood above her head. "Are you going to stay there all day, or will you come out?"

Swimming forward, until she could stare directly up into green eyes, the mermaid basked in the humans presence and attention. Though young, the child before her had a strangely reserved and watchful gaze that felt years older. A playful smile curled his mouth as he tilted his head.

"I have no idea why a creature like you has so daringly ventured here, but if you've come to drown me then-"

"No- no." She quickly assured, adopting a level voice to mask her shock. He spoke so easily to her it felt jarring. "I came in search of the owner of this tear."

Holding up the Perfect Tear in her palm, she watched with rapt attention as he leaned back on his arms, furrowing his brow. "Hmm? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

The mermaid blinked, lowering her hand. "This tear is yours, I am certain of it."

She didn't know why but- though his smile seemed friendly, she could only feel a bottomless coldness. It was almost like looking at a smile on a painting, rather than a real person.

"Fufu, a bit of a stretch to say that, don't you think? There's no proof it's mine. Besides I have nothing to cry about, miss mermaid." He said flippantly, waving her off. "Perhaps you should leave now, before a sailor harpoons you."

Water lapped gently against her shoulders as the gears of her mind turned. Mermaids did not lie. They never lied. It was a concept known only to humans, that she'd picked up from the conversations she'd listened to. This boy, though so young, told lies as easily as breathing. If she didn't hold the proof of his tears in her hand, she would question it herself. But the pulsing warmth in her palm had guided her, and she knew with certainty that it belonged to him.

"Are all human children so apt at lying?" She asked.

"I don't know, perhaps I'm strange. Are all mermaids busybodies, who poke their noses into other people's business? I thought you were supposed to be vicious, wonderful, cruel temptresses, who drown sailors and devour their flesh. You're the reason my younger brother refuses to swim in the ocean." His smile widened as she flinched.

"It is true that most of my kind delight in doing those things, but..."

"Ah, are you the special oddball who dislikes such atrocities? Aww, how boring." He swung his legs up onto the pier, that same smile mocking her. Were all humans so difficult to read?

Frowning, she held up her palm again. "Please at least look at it-" with the flick of her wrist, the tear sailed into the air. The boy made a noise of surprise, quickly catching it in his hands. He looked at it in confusion, wrinkling his nose.

She bit her lip to keep from smiling. "That tear does belong to you. I may not know what caused you to cry, and perhaps you would rather forget the reason than tell it to me." Her eyes locked with his. "But Perfect Tears like that are only created from a deep, specific pain. A pain unknown to all else, except those who've felt it."

The smile tugging at his mouth cracked for a moment. He gazed down at the tear with an expression she couldn't understand. No, perhaps it was because his face was devoid of emotion that confused her. His eyes looked empty, hollow.

"No one should bear that much weight on their shoulders alone. I suggest finding someone to talk to, a...what was it?" She asked herself aloud, before smiling. "A confidant."

He cut his eyes to the sky in a gesture that confused her. "As a fellow oddball, I'd have thought you'd understand that we never have much to say about anything."

Shock thrummed through her, and she glanced away, unable to meet his gaze. True, she was being hypocritical. Her sisters would never understand her interest in humans. How could she advise him to speak his pain when she couldn't voice hers?

She murmured a reply, barely above a whisper. "There's always hope that we can change."

With nothing more to say, she turned, slipping back into the depths from whence she came.

* * *

Over several months, she returned to that pier. The desire to know what had caused him to shed a Perfect Tear brought her back.

Unseen, she observed his life in the short bursts that she could witness. He was occasionally joined by two boys, who shared similarities but were overall vastly different. The three would race on the shore, the boy from the pier always coming second to a red headed one that loudly announced himself the winner. The smaller boy following them would cry, and the mermaid felt impressed as the middle boy switched gears, going from lightly praising one boy, to consoling the other.

It made her realize that he seemed to change tactics with different people, but the smile he wore around them felt and looked genuine. It was small, accidental, and utterly wonderful. She found herself smiling whenever she saw it.

One day, he sat on the pier again, swinging his legs and looking idly out to sea.

"You know, it's considered creepy to watch someone without their consent. Are you some sort of voyeur, miss mermaid?"

She reluctantly drifted out from the shadows of the pier. At a loss to know what a voyeur was, she avoided answering and instead asked another question.

"Did you keep the tear?" She tilted her head curiously, floating in the water.

"Only on a whim, though Kanato wanted it for himself. Said it looked very pretty." He chuckled to himself, causing her to smile and ask about the boys she'd seen on the shore.

He explained that they were his brothers, all of them Princes. Though he kept the same level smile, she sensed affection in his tone as he spoke of them. Ayato, the eldest triplet, was expected to succeeded in everything at the behest of their mother. Kanato was the middle child, who's special talent lay in singing pretty melodies especially for her.

When it came to explaining himself, he hesitated.

"And what does the youngest triplet do?" She prompted gently.

"Fufu, Laito Sakamaki has a purpose and a use, but it's not for prying eyes and curious ears to know." His smile widened, placing his finger over his lips even as his expression shuttered.

* * *

"Do you know what it means, to love someone so much that you hate them?" Laito asked her once, years after they'd first met.

She replied that she didn't, resting her chin on her arms and watching as he filled in some words on a piece of paper. Since she knew some schooling, she'd been dubbed useful enough to help with his crossword puzzles.

Her tail trailed into the water beneath them as they lounged on some rocks near the shore. Over the years, they'd become more brazen in hiding their encounters, but she felt confident in her speed, ready to jump into the sea at a moments notice.

"Ne, this isn't a crossword question, foolish little mermaid." He turned a page, shifting his longer legs beneath him and regarding her with glittering eyes. As he'd grown, his expressions had begun to limit into that mischievous, flat smile that didn't touch his eyes.

"I haven't loved before, so I can't answer."

He hummed noncommittally, eyes briefly skimming over her curves. She was perpetually a woman, unchanging in all the time he'd known her. It somewhat surprised him to learn that she had no experience.

"Can you describe it for me?" She asked, shifting languidly as he shut his book.

"To me, the love spoken of in storybooks doesn't exist." A warm breeze ruffled his hair, lifting it into the breeze so that it caressed his forehead and swept into his eyes. "It's something made up by the naive and cunning, to label feelings of pleasure. Saying 'I love you,' has the same meaning as saying 'good morning.' It's just an empty phrase people say to flatter the one they most want to control, in order to obtain desire. Those thinking they're in love are hopeless fools ensnared in their own feelings. Love is just something that feels good."

They lapsed into silence. The waves crashing against rock punctuated the solemn, thoughtful atmosphere.

Webbed fingers twitched with the urge to reach out to him. "But many humans and mermaids alike have ruined or saved themselves because of love. What else could have encompassed them so much, that it cost or enriched their lives?"

"Hm~ I'll give you a hint. It's 4 across- A carnal craving." Laito smiled.

When she answered that she didn't know, he turned glittering green towards her. "Lust."

Realizing that he was making fun of her, the mermaid splashed him with a sweep of her tail.

* * *

She didn't age. Perhaps this knowledge was only painful because she watched him grow and develop. His brothers, that had gradually visited less and less, stopped coming to the shore altogether. Things felt as if they were changing around her even as she remained exactly the same, in both body and mind.

Finally, the biggest change of all happened; Laito disappeared from her life.

Hidden behind a rock face on the water, she waited at her usual spot. She only left to sate her hunger, but always returned.

When spring turned into summer, and summer into fall, the mermaid finally turned away.

The waters that had raised her now felt cold and barren. Robbed of him, a crushing ache crept into her veins. She wandered the ocean floors for several months that blurred into years. Consumed with worry and sadness that he had died, she lost herself in the tide of emotion that sometimes took immortal beings. Once living solely for knowledge, she barely had a taste for it as she continued to exist in a world that she felt alienated from, despite it's familiarity.

Wanting to rid herself of these feelings, she eventually sought her sisters out.

Since they lived by the caprice of the moment, they felt no betrayal as she appeared out of the blue and rejoined their group after so many years. Her younger sister tugged on her arm excitedly. "You're just in time for our new song!"

Feeling dread scrape harshly against her insides, the mermaid noticed her elder sisters weren't present. A harsh disturbance in the water made her fears come to life, as the sea began to churn, spinning currents faster into a chaotic spiral.

The mermaids swam to the surface and climbed onto some nearby rocks that jutted sharply out of the ocean. Sure enough, she witnessed a ship drawing closer, the violent storm lashing it's sails furiously.

Her sisters rejoiced as it shuddered, men falling to their deaths as the currents instantly pulled them under. Through their singing, and the harsh rain that pelted her face, the mermaid turned cold.

She recognized the flag.

A castle that overlooked their shore had been an imposing structure in her mind since they day she'd met him. When Laito had cheerfully explained that he lived there, she'd raised wide eyes to the flag fluttering atop it, showing that of a black sword.

She began to sing her own song, softly but firmly bidding the waters to lie still. As a smaller boat lowered from the side of the ship, filled with sailors. She implored the ocean to hear her.

Focusing on the churning current below the small boat, she managed to make the waters calm, so that it touched down with barely a ripple. Her sisters gave a cry of outrage, their hair mingling with the waves as lighting struck the ship. A great force of water swept up from their combined rage, hitting the small boat and sending a man over the side.

She knew him instantly.

"Laito! LAITO!" A wild scream, wrenched from the depths of her stomach, escaped her. The waves yielded, currents parting before her as the mermaid crashed into the water. Sweeping her arms in wide arches and furiously thrashing her tail, she searched the dark waters. Sensing a slight disturbance, she reached out blindly around her, webbed fingers spread wide-

Something soft and light brushed her hand, like hair. Her arms snapped out and locked around him, feeling the storm yank their bodies deeper into the sea.

 _N-no! He needs air!_ Panicking, she looked down at Laito. His lashes were lowered, unconscious and barely holding on.

Her lips pressed against his without a second thought. Prying his mouth open with her tongue, she forced air into his lungs, cradling him close. The fabric of his clothes danced in the motions of the water, and his hair tickled her cheek.

She could've stayed like that forever. Suspended in a barely lit space, free of words, fears and thoughts.

The ugly desire to _keep_ him rose unbidden within the recesses of her mind.

Laito stirred slightly, and a flash of memory clouded her mind- of a sailor convulsing and turning pale blue.

They broke the surface of the water a moment later, his head lolling onto her shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry-" She murmured, over and over again into his wet hair, clutching his lithe form. She navigated them through the harsh waves, away from the onslaught of turbulence.

Eventually the ebb and flow of the tide beckoned them to a familiar beach. The mermaid dragged him ashore, quickly checking him over, hands fluttering over his still body.

A harsh noise filled her ears. Laito's eyes snapped open as he chocked, sitting up quickly. She placed her hand on his back as he retched, coughing up violently and sagging onto his forearms, trembling.

"Laito- are you alright?"

Green eyes cracked open weakly, lean muscle shifting. "Mn, little mermaid. Did you..." forcing himself to sit upright, Laito smiled at her. "I see, heh waking up to your face is certainly a good sight."

Surprise stole her voice for a few moments, as he rubbed his throat and gradually gained lucidity. His body had grown, the lanky build had given way to that of maturity.

The boy was no where to be seen. As she sat before him, the outer similarity of their ages began to weigh upon her.

But something more important came to the forefront of her mind. "Why?" Her breath shuddered. "Why did you not return?" She asked softly, her question almost lost as the waves crashed against the rocks nosily.

Laito's gaze shifted to her, and her limbs locked instinctively. The only time she'd frozen in such a way before, was when a shark or predator had drifted dangerously close.

"Were you waiting for me? That makes me happy, little mermaid~" He grinned, the smile stretching wide upon his face. "As for the reason, I was detained in a dungeon for awhile by Father Dearest, because I committed something seen as a crime. A dreadful, sickening sin."

He said the words easily, a playful lift to his voice. The usual emptiness in his gaze was replaced with a curling amusement that had her shifting away. The intoxicating atmosphere stifled her.

His eyes pinned her in place. "The sin befitted someone like me. In fact I felt right at home there, hidden away like a dark secret. Mother even visited me, with Uncle Richter." The playful edge sharpened into a knife, his voice dropping as if dipped in poison.

She'd never seen such an expression on his face before. "Laito." Her voice tried to soothe, to smooth out those horrid, ugly shadows flitting behind his eyes.

He blinked, as though broken from a spell. The vulnerability passed, and quick as lightning, his hand locked around her wrist. "Ne, we've never really touched before, why is that?" A redness crept into his cheeks, words escaping him quicker and quicker. "You know it's what you want. Lets forget ourselves for a few moments~"

He leaned over her, grip painfully tight.

"W-what? Laito, what are you talking about? Th-this isn't you." She squeaked, alarm racing through her heart.

Wet strands of red hair brushed her forehead as he leaned in close, warm breath dancing across her skin. "On the contrary, this is who I've always been. The boy you knew on the pier just has a little more blood on his hands now."

Green eyes narrowed, sickly enamored and glittering. "But you still love him, right? I can see it. Perhaps you only hesitate because of our species. Fufu, doesn't matter, so long as it feels good."

She could barely feel it as his hands ran down her sides. Perhaps it was the way her body had been made, but she could remember her elder sisters speaking of the pleasure barred to a mermaid. Their flesh could not ignite like a humans could.

A low, guttural sound escaped him. "Ahh, the thought of having you has always given me the shivers." His form caged her to the ground, hands gliding over her body as he bent to kiss her cheek, tongue darting out to drag across her skin. She tasted like saltwater.

"Stop!" The mermaid felt the flow of the tide stir life back into frozen limbs. She pushed against his chest, feeling his heart quicken at her touch.

He made a noise of surprise as his hand snagged one of the scales from her tail, and brought his hand up to stare at the wound.

Laito leaned away from her and sat back on his knees, considering her quietly. A strange look flitted over his face as he glanced away and smiled."Seems a mermaid truly is a maiden of the sea."

The mermaid leaned up, watching him with wide eyes as she clutched her hands close to her chest. Laito languidly licked the blood from his hand, gazing at her with a sultry grin. "There are still plenty of ways I could give you pleasure, but if you're determined to fight me off, then it's not too fun."

He stood up, straightening his clothes. His expression was unreadable as his voice flattened out. "It would feel amazing to you if you were human, I guarantee it. Though, gaining a soul only to corrupt it with sin would be unthinkable for someone like you, wouldn't it?"

A glimpse of the boy who'd existed before, flashed quietly in the wake of his smile. There was no malice or love in his eyes, just the same hollow look that had almost become intimate in her heart.

"Good bye, little mermaid." He said, before turning on his heel and walking away.

She stared after him, shoulders shaking, until her entire body trembled. Her head bowed, and the depths of her being cried out for him.

* * *

The events leading up to her decision solidified her choice before she'd even made it. She didn't confide in her sisters, knowing what they would say.

The fear that had made her motionless on the beach was still there, lingering heavily in her bones, and yet-

Bowing her head politely, she remained silent in the presence of the Sea Witch.

She knew it was foolish of her, to follow after a little boy. But she'd seen him there, just for a moment in Laito's eyes. She didn't know what had happened over the years she hadn't seen him, or inside that dungeon, but the thought of never seeing him again made an ache pulse in her chest.

The Sea Witch regarded her solemnly, the graceful arch of her hand reaching for a bottle on one of her many shelves. She was less of an entity and more of an extension of the very ocean herself. Feared for her power, only the desperate sought her out.

 _"This potion will turn you human, just as you wish."_ She said in clear tones, holding a lachrymose void within her wise eyes. _"However, as with all things, there are conditions to be met."_

 _"That human man you desire... in order to make this spell permanent, he must fall in love with you. But be warned, child. If he breaks your heart, then within the space of one night, your body will turn to sea-foam, and you will die."_

 _I would...die._ The mermaid's lashes lowered. A part of her had expected this, as consequences were what had made the Sea Witch infamous in the first place. She pictured the younger Laito in her mind, and wondered at the thought of placing her very life in his hands. When she'd thought he'd died, a numbness had engorged itself in her heart. She'd barely existed in the cold waters of the ocean, not living, and yet not dying either.

Now she knew he was alive- changed, but alive. Those changes were frightening, and strange to her, but she'd traveled to the darkest depths of the ocean floor, and glimpsed twisted, nightmarish forms that lingered even now in her mind. If she could withstand that, then she felt that she could weather the storm of Laito's hollow eyes.

"What do you want as payment?" The mermaid asked in clear tones.

 _"Your voice would be acceptable. However, even if the spell becomes permanent, you will not gain it back. This is a fair exchange."_

She tensed, her hand automatically rising to the base of her throat. Her voice for a pair of legs. Her gaze lifted to where sunlight filtered through the water. No, it wasn't just legs, it was the whole human world. She would have what she'd always wanted; the chance to learn their ways, how they lived. More than that, she could walk by Laito's side.

"Alright."

The Sea Witch handed her a bottle, and instructed her to drink from it when she reached the beach. Once done, she would reseal the bottle, and send it back into the ocean, taking her voice with it.

That was how she found herself sat on a familiar pier, gingerly touching her long tail. She hummed a melody her elder sister had taught her for the last time, and mourned her losses for a moment. A loud squawk from a seagull made her eyes lift to the sea. She would be losing the home she'd known all her life.

She raised the bottle to eye-level, hesitating. Yet, within the glass, she could only see Laito's mischievous grin as she admitted her secret about the school.

 _"Most kids want to escape from school. You can't possibly enjoy it, miss mermaid." He'd laughed in gentle tones._

Her lips lifted in a smile, and she pulled off the top of the bottle.

"Goodbye Mother. Thank you for raising and caring for me up until now." She murmured to the gently lapping waves.

The mermaid was not stupid, she knew being human would put her at risk, in more ways than one. But the darkness in Laito on the beach...she felt determined to wade through it in order to walk by his side. If she could draw out the boy she'd known before, she would put her safety, even her integrity on the line for him.

Thinking of this, she drank the cold purple liquid inside the glass.

Bile rose in her throat, but she forced it down, coughing and retching. Her last noises were mournful, terrified cries. Her bones shifted, scales falling off her tail and dropping into the ocean. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as flesh shivered and reshaped, changing with grotesque, fleshy sounds. Muscle weaved back together, and she panted, nearly passing out. The pain only became more intense as the protection of the ocean fell away to reveal bare, sensitive skin.

When the agony finally passed, she panted loudly, shakily drawing herself up. Legs instantly caught her eye.

She raised her hand to touch them, freezing when the sight of long, bare fingers came into view.

Not forgetting her exchange, and needing something else to focus on, she grabbed the bottle. Breathing into it with one long exhale, fogging up the glass, she put the top back on. After gently plopping the bottle back into the ocean, she wet her lips.

Moving her mouth, no sound escaped.

"-heard something." A distant voice caught her ear.

"Are you accusing me of lying, brother?" Replied another in silken tones.

 _Laito..._

"Wouldn't be the first time. I'm going back, there's nothin down here."

"Hmm~ spoil sport." The voice drew closer, and the former mermaid turned shakily on her hands and knees.

He walked casually down the hill from the massive structure of the castle. Dipping his hat to shield his eyes from the sun, Laito squinted when he noticed a figure on the pier.

At first, he thought he were seeing things, but after walking closer, he suddenly stopped.

He knew it was her the moment he caught sight of that familiar shade of hair.

Struggling to get to her feet, she wobbling violently. A look of pain shocked her features, and he was running before he even realized it.

She collapsed into his arms, trembling.

"Miss mermaid, w-why did you..." He muttered, voice thin.

Her lips turned up into a smile, head resting on his shoulder, before going still.

"Ayato!" Laito shouted, loud enough for his voice to echo off the rocks. He called until his brother came into view, and told him to find Reiji.

* * *

She'd awoken wrapped in something incredibly soft. Upon realizing it was Laito's jacket, the events of the past days had come back to her in a rush. Disorientated but happy, she'd started when servants entered the room.

She was treated to a bath, new clothes and a hot meal. Ingesting new information as it was offered to her, the mermaid loved everything inside the castle. It fascinated her to see the inner-workings of the human household, and the differences of servants, nobles and royals.

The only drawback was her feet, which crippled her steps with blinding shoots of pain.

Nightfall came far too quickly for her tastes, as she'd wanted to explore more. Yet Laito's absence had weighed heavily on her mind, and she sat down on her 'bed,' alone for the first time that day.

Despite enjoying herself with their servants who didn't mind her muteness, she'd wondered where he was. _Has he been avoiding me?_

"Seems you did something particularly wild in order to gain a human body. Isn't that right, miss mermaid?"

She jumped, turning with wide eyes.

Laito leaned against a far window, observing her with the usual beatific smile. "Ne, will you tell me about it?" He tilted his head.

She opened her mouth to answer, but then clicked it shut, her fingers tightening in the sheets as she glanced away.

"Hmm, it's as Reiji thought then." Her gaze turned back to him just as Laito pushed off the wall, sauntering over. "He checked you over, but when he said that your vocal chords appeared to be damaged, I didn't quite believe him."

She rose onto her feet but wobbled, the sensation of needles piercing her feet. Laito's arms locked around her waist as she swayed, losing her footing.

"Swooning for me? Fufu, I'm flattered." Green eyes danced as he knelt to the floor, shifting her in his arms.

A blush stained her cheeks, heart beating rapidly in her chest. That was before the shiver of danger played down her back once more, and she witnessed the change in his eyes.

Remembering the fear from before, she tensed when his lips playfully pressed against her cheek. "I'm so glad you joined me here on the shore."

He kissed the corner of her mouth next, slowly, grip tightening insidiously. When she felt something hard press between her legs, she tried to yank herself free.

Laito rose a brow as she shook her head. "Oh? Are you trying to say you didn't come here just for that? The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Her eyes widened. It didn't matter how hard she shoved against his chest, he slid past her hands like water.

A lapse in judgement had him pushing her onto her back and claiming her mouth again. She struggled to resist, a warmth within her flaring alight in the wake of his touch. It felt nothing like before. Her body betrayed her, and he seemed to know it.

She felt swept up in to the tide that was Laito as he drowned her in kisses. His hand slipped between them, where their hips met, and found her soaking beneath her dress, brushing his fingers over her until they slipped inside her sex. She gasped into his mouth.

Human biology was unnerving in it's strangeness. The digits curling inside her felt foreign, invasive, and frightening to one who'd never felt anything of the kind before.

The cold floor that he pressed her down against dug hard into her back as she arched and writhed into his hand. Despite herself, her hips bucked, trying to ease the ache between her legs. Laito chuckled, cheeks tinged red as he reached down and freed his length.

He thrust inside her hard and quick. The mermaid stilled, white hot pain flaring inside her. Tears stung her lashes.

His smile was dark and cruel as he moaned. "You're- _ahh_ , so tight. Heh, is it as you imagined, little mermaid? A woman's body is full of hidden treasures. I'll show you all of them."

She arched her back, gritting her teeth as he began to move, pounding into her. Clothes were torn, loosened, pulled away to reveal bare flesh. He spread her legs apart with his hands so that he could watch his length sink in and out of her smooth, silky softness. Relentless and merciless.

Her slick folds twitched around him, squeezing, making his thrusts that much more lethal.

She didn't think she could take it anymore- the sounds of their bodies moving- Laito's loud, shameless moans- the heady smell of sex. The former mermaid shuddered, her eyes seeking his as he picked up the pace.

Laito wore on expression of perverse depravity. His eyes were alight with pleasure and joy, reveling in every sensation. "Aha, that look, right there. That moment where you resist, until you absolutely can't hold back anymore, giving into the pleasure. Your tears blur until you can't tell if they're from hate or encompassing need..."

An aroused smile cut wide across his lips. "Ahh, I can't stand it."

He thrust harder, pulling out- only to slam inside her to the hilt. Her lips opened wide in a silent scream. The ache in her core paralyzed her body with shock as it spread through her insides, lighting every nerve on fire. She shuddered and then went still, taking silent, heaving breaths as she felt herself grow embarrassingly wet.

It didn't stop there though, Laito laughed darkly, his eyes narrowing. "La petite mort. It's an intoxicating drug, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll give you more~ Until you lose consciousness."

Hard fingers suddenly dug into her hips as he flipped her over onto her hands and knees. The motion sent her mind spinning, disorientated as Laito entered her once more, continuing his maddening pace. She grit her teeth, knees bruising and tears blurring her vision as he took her like an animal. She felt the humiliation keenly as he pushed her head down, until it rested on the cool marble floor.

The pleasure continued, her mind falling away into a black abyss where there was no sense of self. She was merely a thing experiencing sensation.

Feigning exhaustion, she collapsed onto her hands, hoping she looked convincing as her eyes fell shut.

Something hot fanned against her neck, before lips pressed against the warm flesh where her gills used to be. Her eyes snapped open as teeth scraped harshly behind her ear, breaking the skin and sinking down. She cried out inside her mind, feeling as if he were biting into her very skull.

When she struggled, Laito removed his teeth. "There's no escape." He murmured in dark, terrifyingly cold tones. "I refuse to be left inside the second circle of hell alone."

Her body was twisted and turned, propped upright, then splayed chaotically over the bed. It didn't matter. The endless pleasure blurred into one. She dazedly sought his eyes once more as he circled his tongue around her clit.

 _It's too much,_ her eyes begged. Laito worked his mouth that much harder.

The drawback of having no voice was the sacrifice of communication, something she desperately wished she had. But under no circumstances would Laito let her fall into the haze of pleasure and simply lay there; he made sure she participated. Whether eager or not, he wrenched every expression, every silent scream from her, until she dragged blunt nails across his back and he gave a shuddering, breathy laugh than ran into a groan.

Every inch of his length buried within her as he filled her up to the brim with his seed. He exhaled loudly, panting ragged, exhilarated breaths.

The mermaid merely lay frozen with horror. Even after all that, his green eyes were flat, empty. It was as if all the pleasures in the world couldn't satisfy or reach him.

* * *

One wish had set her free from the ocean.

Two bodies had lain together, almost every night for several months. She felt as if her heart was steeled to hurt, impervious to damage now that she'd endured the brunt of Laito's 'adult play'.

But there are some things that slip past defenses, and he'd always had a very good knack of targeting a person's weak spot.

It was an oversight on both their parts.

In the end, for all her effort, it took just three, soft, quiet words to break her.

"I love you."

Her breath hitched.

The former mermaid couldn't even allow herself one moment of happiness, because those words triggered a memory. _"Love doesn't exist. It's just an empty phrase people say to flatter the one they most want to control, in order to obtain desire."_

She refused to believe that he didn't remember those words. As she raised horrified eyes up to his, she found glittering green like always.

He _knew_. Maybe he thought it a joke to lie, but her logic couldn't hold back the wave of hurt, despair and misery. She felt her chest blaze, until it felt as if the fabric of her being was being pulled at the seams, splintering apart stitch by agonizing stitch.

Somehow, she felt the call of the Sea Witch on the distant waters of the ocean. A swansong rose and fell with every motion of the waves.

In that moment, the mermaid distantly knew her fate.

Numb to his touch, she barely noticed as he cradled her in his arms. She wanted so badly to resent him when he pulled away and smiled at her like always.

 _I have no idea what he's thinking beneath that smile of his. I've probably never once come close to truly understanding how he really feels._

Thinking back, maybe all his smiles were unnatural. Even the ones he'd shared with her as a child.

And yet she couldn't bring herself to hate him. A part of herself had wanted those days on the beach to never end, for them to always stay the same. That boy he'd once been was something she'd wanted to keep, to own. She'd not seen him as he truly was, only what she wanted him to be, and only now did she recognize that as an act of foolishness.

Laito guided her back to the bed, more of his honeyed words spilling from his lips into deaf ears.

She was going to die, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Panic began to rise with the brightening of the horizon.

The sun's ascent into the sky was intimately felt. A gentle light illuminated dust particles in the air, creating slanted bars of light on their joined forms. She observed everything about the man locked inside her. Twisted, horrible wants that chocked the air in her lungs rose to the surface. Why had she broken so easily from three simple words?

Laito leaned over her, resting on his forearms as they finished, breaths mingling. He smiled down at her and cupped her face, the gesture romantic and empty as always. The mermaid's fingers suddenly rested over his, her eyes full of something like alarm.

"Ne, what's wrong, miss mermaid?"

Tears gathered in her eyes, lips pressing into a thin line, before she squeezed tired lids shut. _Ah, I know now why my heart broke. It's because I love him. I wanted him to mean it when he said those words to me._

Throwing her arms around him, she buried her face in his neck, her tears wetting his skin. _I thought I was stronger, that I could guard against his lies, but, it's funny, isn't it Laito_? _I think I loved you more than I really meant to. It does exist after all._

"Oof- haha, my, someones shameless. Do you want more already?"

He felt her shake her head against him, and when her body trembled violently, as if bracing for something, Laito frowned in confusion. He was about to ask more, when desperate lips pressed against his. He inhaled sharply through his nose, taken aback as wide green stared uncomprehendingly at her. Cold, shaking hands cupped his face reverently.

She poured every ounce of herself into the kiss, wishing she could express everything in that single moment as tears escaped. _T-this feeling of dread. Is this even close to what you felt that first day on the pier, Laito_? _I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

Laito's lashes fell shut. As he opened them again however, he noticed her form becoming paler. His eyes widened when he realized she was fading.

He made a noise of surprise, following after her with his hands-which slipped through her without touch.

 _Goodbye, Laito._ She smiled.

Bubbles dissipated, and the scent of salt brushed his frayed, shattered senses, before he found himself leaning over formless water. It began to soak into the bedding, and his hands blindly sought it, clawing at the sheets like a mad man.

"M-miss...mermaid." He let out a soft utterance, wide eyes staring unseeingly before him.

Nothing of her remained, save for a small, sparkling jewel. He picked it up numbly, closing his palm around the Perfect Tear.

Laito slowly sat back on his heels. Not a thought stirred his mind. All action was severed from it like strings cut on a marionette. Because thinking meant feeling, and emotions led to remembering, he simply ceased to _be_. Without company, his body and expression were left as barren as the room she'd left him in.


	7. Azusa Mukami

Chapter 7 ~ Azusa Mukami

Warnings: Smut, self harm and implied child abuse

* * *

 **Eye of the Beholder**

 _"To conceal you, the donkey's skin will be an admirable disguise, for when you are inside it, no one will believe that anyone so beautiful could be hidden in anything so frightful."_

 _~ Charles Perrault_

The male gaze is something all women have felt, at one point or another. It dawns on them gradually, as they grow older; The feeling, like heady smoke in the air, of eyes following, assessing, desiring.

She didn't know at what point she became aware of it. Perhaps it had been one night on her fifteenth birthday, or even when he'd tutored her on the ways of the kingdom she'd inherit. But the moment it absolutely _couldn't_ be ignored anymore, was a mere few hours after her mother had died.

"Your Mother, and my dear, dear wife..." Her father passed a hand over his face, fingers lingering over his mouth. "She made a request, before she passed."

His daughter barely heard him as she leaned against a window, thinking of the body of the Queen lying just upstairs. A few hours ago she'd been alive, coughing dry, heaving breaths into a blood soaked handkerchief. It'd been awhile since she'd actually lain eyes on Mother, on account of her illness, but she'd heard the coughs from her room every day for months. Now, silence reigned within the halls of the somber castle.

"I gave her my word," her father continued. She looked at him, and rose a silent brow.

He stared at her blank face, masked of emotions. Her eyes were cold, glass-like. "She made me promise that; After she died, I would take another wife, but only one more beautiful than herself."

Dawn broke soft shadows across his face as the princess avoided his gaze. An uncomfortable weight pressed upon her shoulders, gradually easing down into her stomach as it had always done in his presence.

Her limbs slowly tensed, hands tightening around her bent knees as she stiffened. "So then...you'll be holding marriage interviews after the funeral?"

"Yes..." the sound of him scratching his beard filled her ears. "Yes I suppose I will."

Her breaths evened out when he turned and left the room, taking that heavy, _considering_ look with him.

Yet the unease lingered on for two months after the Queens death. In the meantime, the princess lost herself in work, running outside the castle grounds. Volunteering at the shack tucked away on a street corner was something that always quickened her footsteps, lips curving up, just slightly.

The regulars did not comment on the royalty serving them, acknowledging her with a mere tip of the hat. No one in the castle knew of her visits, which she was grateful for. She didn't need to hear the predictable warnings about gypsies. In her experience they were a more honest people than the ones who ate caviar to demonstrate their wealth.

A large woman known simply as 'Cook', ruled over the tiny establishment with a stern eye, and had never once cast judgement on her presence there.

One particular day, however, the princess burst into the kitchen in a flurry, doubling over as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Morn'in lass, what's got you in such a tizzy?" Said Cook, her hand pausing mid-stir as she turned from the boiling pot to glance at the girl. Even those sitting on tables nearby glanced up from their meager meals.

"I-I'm sorry- I didn't know where else to go-" she panted, raising her head.

Cook started in alarm at the sight, dropping the ladle in her hand and motioning another woman to take her place. Ushering the young girl away from prying eyes, she took her around the back.

Large beefy hands then locked onto the girls shoulders. "Out with it. Now."

"M-my father...h-he...has chosen a wife."

"Well that's grand, don't see why you're sniveling over it."

She shook her head, wondering at the putrid, sweet smell clinging to her nostrils. It reminded her so much of him.

Unable to meet Cook's gaze, she raised her trembling hand.

A shiny, woven gold band caught the light in a harsh glare. It shined prettily on her ring finger. She gave a tremulous, broken smile. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she struggled not to fall apart.

Arms suddenly wrapped around her, bringing her into warmth. She felt a large hand stoke her head gently. "It's alright lass, we'll sort this out. It'll...it'll be fine." Cook muttered in a thick voice.

For the first time since her mother had passed, the princess allowed herself to cry. "I can't- I can't go back there, don't make me, please." She begged, quivering in the woman's arms like a child.

* * *

Contrary to her wishes, and with steps laden with dread, she'd made her way back to the castle mere hours later. She went to sleep that night just as she'd always done, but not before staring at the door of her room.

With quick, hurried movements, she pushed a cabinet in front of it. Laying back down in her bed, the gold band on her finger caught her eye.

A creeping, vicious emotion welled up inside her. It cracked beneath the surface of skin, coating her insides in putrid fumes of hatred that softened into a low hum. Dormant, but not forgotten, it festered.

Her lashes fell shut, finally drifting into fretful sleep.

Cook had instructed her to properly think about what she wanted to do. Staying at the castle felt inconceivable now. Her father would not take 'no' for an answer.

But merely running away was foolhardy. As the princess of the kingdom, her face was well known. Hiding under the guise of a cloak would only get her so far before she was captured and returned back to the castle.

 _"Aye lass, normal clothes won't cut it. If you want to escape out of the kingdom's reach, then you'll need something else." Cook had said, a distant look flitting over her aged face. The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes tightened, an oddly perturbed look crossing her usually stern features._

 _"I wonder...maybe he'll be of use."_

It was this mysterious person that the princess decided to meet with the next day. Cook led the way, passing through the middle class ring and into the lower district. Pushing aside the cover hanging over the entrance of a make-shift door, she beckoned the princess inside.

She tensed as soon as the cover fell back into place behind them, blocking out the sunlight and drenching the old warehouse into shadow. Cook took her arm, leading her through the cluster of gypsies. Some of them scampered inside their shelters at the sight of the stranger. The princess had never been inside the den where some of Cook's family resided before. Other homeless people had also gathered there, forming a community the higher ups would rather ignore. Seeing them living such impoverished lives made the knot tighten in her stomach. She knew her family was responsible for the situation of the slums.

Finally, they stopped before a small hut. Various clothes were hanging outside on a washing line.

"Azusa? Come out. The lass I told you about earlier is here." Cook muttered in a low but stern tone.

There came a rustle, and the sound of feet padding softly, before a pale hand reached through the cover of the hut, pushing it aside slightly.

"Mm? Oh..." murmured a gentle, quiet voice. "Please, come inside..."

Cook sneered. "No way royalty is going to sit themselves inside that grubby-"

The princess stepped forward, giving a reassuring nod to the large woman. "It's fine. I don't mind."

With that said, she followed after the pale hand that retracted behind the cover. Ducking inside the doorway, she blinked, her eyes trying to readjust to the light. A lantern flickered in the corner of the room, bathing a lean figure in orange hues.

He looked to be around her age, with a pale complexion and doleful, tired eyes. Dark hair framed his face, with noticeable mismatched stands at the back, as if he'd tried to cut it himself.

What caught her attention most however, were the scars on the bridge of his nose and lower cheek. Bandages covered his left arm, and she noticed more that had unraveled, peeking out from under his shirt.

Unsure what to make of him, she fell back on her manners for self assurance."Thank you for meeting with me. I don't want to take up too much of you're time, so-"

He cut her off with a faint chuckle, the smoke of a smile lingering on his lips. "That's funny...heh, the thought of me...being busy." Leaning down, he folded his legs underneath him, sitting on the floor. "What do you need...from someone like me?" He said, in a monotonous voice.

At his pointed look, she mimicked his movements and sat. On some level she noticed his speech impediment, but it didn't bother her as she leaned forward seriously. "I was told you're talented at making clothes. Not only that, but you've crafted cloaks made from animal skins before. Cook said they had something about them, almost like a power was woven into the material."

Azusa blinked slowly, gaze shifting to a box at his side, filled with different kinds of threads. "Mm, suppose so. Needles have become...very useful to me."

She hesitated at this, wondering at the heavy look in his eye, before shrugging it off. "Please, Sir. I implore you to make me a cloak. I can buy all the material you need for it and more."

"You're...calling me 'Sir' now? My name...please use...my name." His gaze had shifted back to her, and she tensed. Stuck by a vague realization, she noticed that the sickened feeling in her stomach was absent. She wasn't frightened in this man's presence. Lilac eyes regarded her intently, but the 'male gaze' was no where to be found.

Although it trampled on propriety to speak his name so informally, it fell from her lips easily. "Azusa."

He tilted his head, hazy interest sparking alight within his sad gaze. "There's pain...in your eyes." He trailed off thoughtfully, even as his words dug into her heart.

The princess watched with baited breath as he seemed to think to himself for a moment, before lifting his eyes once more. "I'll make you a cloak. What do you... most want it to do for you? What do...you long for, more than anything in this world?"

She didn't know why it felt important that she answer truthfully. The secret desire in her heart, that had been cradled within her for many years, had never been voiced out loud.

"To be invisible." She murmured, feeling as if a piece of her soul was being bared to him inside those simple words.

Azusa watched her almost plaintively, before he nodded. "Give the money...to Cook. I'll tell her what material I need."

The knot strung tight within her eased as she smiled. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Three days. It will be done by then." He stood up with her, the heaviness in the air dispelled by his timid, answering smile. "Good bye...Eve."

Uncertain for the reason of him calling her that so suddenly, she only nodded gratefully and turned, walking out of the hut. Cook met her outside, muttering about how strange the lad was, but the princess barely listened. Hope burned in her heart for the first time in years.

* * *

Three days passed slowly. The princess endured a dress fitting session, lips pressed into a thin, grim line as she stood numbly.

No one voiced their disagreement with the marriage. She wondered if the family tree would be changed, making her conveniently unrelated to the royal family. Or perhaps Father would marry her anyway, reveling in the title of incest that would no doubt mar the kingdom's image forever.

On the fateful day however, she raced to Cook's shack, stopping before the entrance with wide eyes. Azusa turned in the doorway, an incredibly large cloak in his hands that spilled down to the floor. Horror silenced her tongue as he unfolded it, showing the full length.

It was made from the pelt of a donkey.

The hide had been crudely stitched together like patchwork to make a heavy cloak. No doubt the worst part was the hood, that retained the face and shape of the donkey.

Azusa's eyes warmed as she stepped closer, feeling the material with a cold, numbed hand. It slid rough and coarse between her fingers.

"Do you...like it?" He asked softly.

Her gaze swept to his fingers, which were newly wrapped in tiny bandages. She shoved the disgust down, crushing it under her feet as she smiled.

"It's perfect."

She wasn't lying. Her wish had been granted. No man would ever lay eyes on her again so long as she wore the grotesque cloak.

Cook enveloped her in a hug a moment later. The princess smiled, a shakiness in her heart as the woman drew back to look at her.

"Don't go gettin' soft on me, lass. You'll be fine out there. There's no one who knows the lay of the land better than the princess, right?"

She nodded mutely, emotion constricting her throat. All she needed to do was head East. She'd pass through two towns before reaching the border of Father's kingdom. Once over the other side, she'd be safe.

Grabbing the cloak, she slipped it on, lowering the hood and feeling the muzzle of the donkey weigh heavily over her head, shadowing all expression. The inside felt surprisingly cool, almost like leather but breezier. Thanking Azusa and Cook once more, the princess steadied the pack on her shoulder, adjusting the cloak so that it fell down to her ankles.

Stepping onto the road which would lead her out of the city, she turned back just once. Cook gave a wave, the crows feet deepening into worried lines around her eyes. Azusa gazed after her expressionlessly, touching his bandaged arm.

Her attention shifted past them to the massive castle laying behind. Her home...had it really been her home? Weren't they usually places where you felt safe? That same sensation of disgust mingled with anger boiled in her heart, and her eyes narrowed.

"Eve..." Azusa was suddenly there, in front of her startled face.

"W-what is it?"

He stared at her, unblinking. "I want...to come with you."

"Are you soft in the head, boy? No way does she want you tagging along." Shouted Cook from behind them.

Azusa ignored her, gazing past the black pits of eyes on the donkey-skin hood and directly into hers. "Eve...I have brothers...that I would like to find again. Take me with you. I don't care...where we go, or what you need...I'll do anything."

"I can't ask you to do that, but...you can come. We'll be travelling companions, how does that sound?"

His eyes widened fractionally, before he slowly nodded. Cook shook her head, but returned the wave that the princess sent her.

Turning on her heel, the girl shut the castle from her mind, walking towards the road that would take her East.

* * *

Her first thoughts when entering the new city, was that poverty had affected it badly. Unlike in the main city, were the homeless and poor had been driven into slums, this one was crammed full of the needy. Children with gaunt faces stared up at Azusa as he passed, but didn't even seem to notice her presence.

In fact, all eyes turned away from her whenever she drew close. At first they'd hesitate, before hastily pretending she didn't exist.

"Azusa, how does the cloak work?" She murmured curiously as the crowd gave her a wide berth, but narrowed and bumped into his side.

"Mm, they think it's scary. So they look away. Some ugliness...makes others lash out...but ones like the cloak make them afraid. It bypasses...disgust...and flows right into fear."

Noticing he was being bumped into, some knocking roughly into his shoulder, she stepped close to him. Azusa glanced at her with a surprisingly sour expression. "Why did...you make them stop? They would surely have left...wonderful bruises."

Her eyes widened at the comment, but she just tugged on his arm. "C-come on, don't say such things. Lets find a hotel before dark."

They found a humble hotel tucked away from the bustle of the streets that didn't cost too much for the night. Azusa quietly murmured that she didn't need to spend her money, and that they could've found somewhere else, but she insisted. Though he didn't say anything, she noticed the thinness of his frame, and made sure to buy him a meal.

That night, when she lay down in her bed, she noticed that he seemed to hesitate beside his. It couldn't be helped that they'd had to share a room, but when he turned his eyes on her, she tensed. "What's wrong?"

"I'm...not used to sleeping like this."

Her eyes widened. Of course he probably wasn't used to a plush bed. She sat up and furrowed her brow. "We can arrange the covers onto the floor, if you'd prefer."

When he nodded, she smiled gently.

The covers were spread out onto the wooden floor beside her bed. She didn't know how he'd ended up so close, but as he lay cradling his arm, she couldn't tell him to move after seeing him so comfortable.

As she lay back once more, some time passed where she drifted into a place between sleeping and waking. Something very quiet caused her to stir, the sound of hushed words.

"Important... right, Justin?" Azusa was murmuring to himself.

Turning onto her side, she found him sitting up, legs folded beneath him. His back was turned to her, but she could clearly see him unwrapping the bandage on his left arm. He unwound it with careful motions, until it fluttered to the floor beside him.

Her eyes dropped, threatening to fall closed with tiredness, but the faint sound of metal had them flying wide.

There was a thump of bare feet landing on hard floor, before the sound of a brief scuffle.

The former princess knelt, panting over him, gripping the knife still in his hand, poised over his arm. Azusa stared into her eyes. She dimly noticed that his flesh was covered in large scars, one of them, the largest, began at the crook of his elbow, ending close to his wrist.

"Ah...Eve, did you want...to cut me yourself?" A serene smile lit up his face. "I'd like that...I'd love to...make you happy."

He pushed the knife into her hand eagerly, only to latch onto her wrist, bringing the blade further down.

"What- _stop_! I don't want to hurt you, Azusa!"

With the wrench of her hand, the knife was sent flying, scattering over the floor with a loud clatter. She breathed heavily, snatching her hand back and staring into sorrowful eyes.

"I see...so Eve...does hate me."

"What? No, I don't." She shook her head. "Why would you...do this though? I heard you muttering someone's name."

Thinking he would be angry for prying, she felt surprised when he smiled. "Ah, Justin." He raised his arm, and motioned to the longest scar. His voice became soft, colored with fond memories. "Justin, Christina and Melissa." He touched each scar reverently. "They were...my good friends, once. But it's alright...because I keep them with me...this way. When I reopen them, my friends stay...a little longer. But they keep healing...fading...leaving..."

Her heart lurched and squeezed at his words. For a breathless moment, they sat in silence, watching each other with an unnamed feeling in the air. When he tilted his head, looking at her soft looking flesh, she shivered. He looked _considering,_ gaze shifting to the knife.

"Do you want...a friend too? You're lonely...aren't you, Eve?"

She raised her head, trying not to think of the pain she'd lain in night after night, fearing soft footfalls approaching her door without really knowing what she was afraid of. "No, Azusa, I'm not alone." She smiled brokenly. "I have you here with me."

Haze filled eyes widened, the expression on his face shuttering. Unbidden, something shifted within his being.

* * *

Crossing the border of her kingdom had been strangely surreal in how anti-climatic it'd felt. Since they'd been walking almost non stop, traversing her old lands had taken less than a week. News of her disappearance had yet to even reach her ears.

As Azusa dozed on a forgotten street corner, she went to buy food in the new, exciting city. She noticed less impoverished people, and more smiling faces, which only served to brighten but twist her mood. Her kingdom suffered as this one prospered.

Something on the ground caught her eye as she passed it, and the Donkey-skin girl stopped dead.

"Azusa, look at this." She said sometime later, nudging him awake. A soft noise escaped him as he yawned. Noticing he seemed lucid, she handed him the piece of paper.

When he gazed at it non uncomprehendingly, she winced, not realizing he was illiterate. Acting as if she didn't notice to spare his feelings, she carried on. "It's an invitation to this kingdom's Royal Ball. Someone must have dropped it. This is a wonderful opportunity!"

"It is?" He blinked.

"Of course. Who else would know better where your brothers are than the royal register? They'll have a list of every resident living in the kingdom. If you think they're around these parts, then all we have to do is attend, and ask to see it." She felt an old heavy warmth sharpen her next words. "I need to go there to ask the Prince something too."

"They will not...let us in."

"No, but..." her eyes strayed to his hands, the coins in her pocket weighing heavier. "Maybe there's a way."

Azusa tilted his head.

Sometime later, soft fabric was placed into his arms. He couldn't see her expression under the donkey-skin hood, but Azusa leaned forward to try and capture her gaze. "Eve...you need your money for food and lodgings, why did you..."

"Because I know you'll make a beautiful dress from this. If I make a wish to be able to attend the ball, you'll sew it into the seams, making it real. All you have to do is trust me, Azusa. I'll attend the ball, and find the registry, I promise."

Soulful eyes sharpened, fingers tightening in the fabric. He gave a solemn nod, turning to find a little hovel to work in.

Donkey-skin watched him go, following after him after a moment. Sometimes, his scars, pale complexion, and overall fragile look would melt away, unearthing a resolute, quiet strength.

* * *

He worked tirelessly for days, barely stopping to eat unless she forced him to. The Ball was to be held in two weeks time, so one dress hardly seemed difficult at first. However, when they learned that the royal gathering was supposed to take place over the course of two days, they faltered. Propriety dictated that no self respecting woman would attend such an event in the same dress. She would be mocked and scorned if she tried.

Therefore, two dresses needed to be sewn.

Azusa worked his fingers to the bone, his hands moving methodically as he threaded a needle and pulled it through lace.

When she noticed dark shadows under his eyes, she felt her fingers dig into her arm. Lingering around the castle entrance in her cloak, she tried her hand at walking past the castle guards, but they caught her shoulder.

Though her cloak made it difficult for people to look at her, it was not infallible.

After her failed attempt, she walked back to Azusa with worried steps, only to find him holding up a dress, standing on shaking legs. "Eve...I made one...for you."

She quickly ran forward, lowering him back to the floor when he weakened. "You didn't eat again." She admonished, frowning at him.

Azusa lowered his gaze, but pushed the dress into her hands. "Do you...like it? I call it 'the daylight dress.' When you look at it...you'll see a blue sky." He smiled weakly.

Donkey-skin busied herself then with fetching food, not stopping until he was sat with a hot meal. While he dug in, she swept her hand over the fabric, gazing at the stunning dress. Clear, cloudless skies flashed in her minds eye.

The question came to her suddenly. "Why do you call me Eve?"

Azusa, blinking languidly at his meal, seemed hesitant. "Eve...when people talk about her, they say...she was cast out of paradise." Melancholy eyes glanced at her. "It doesn't...occur to them that she might have left on her own."

* * *

He'd grown desperate.

They'd run low on money, too low to afford proper fabrics for a second dress.

Azusa felt that he knew how to steal. Bear had once told him, back at the orphanage, how to effectively grab and run without being caught. It helped to have larger numbers in a group, to cause a distraction, but he wouldn't involve Eve.

He wondered what his brothers were doing now, and whether he would ever see them again.After being separated running from that hellish place, and then wandering into the gypsy community, he'd longed to meet them once more.

He wasn't certain he'd get the chance to now.

Blood spilled out from the place where his arm used to be.

He'd tried to be quick, but he'd always been slow. Slow to talk, slow to move. His arm had been seized by the merchant he'd tried to steal from.

"Azusa-wh-what? _NO_!" Eve had cried, catching sight of him from across the courtyard. Her shrieks turned into screams when a sharp blade had swung down on his arm.

She put his good arm around her shoulders, grabbing him around the waist to take the brunt of his weight. They stumbled in a mess of tangled limbs into a back alley. Her heart thundered in her chest, drumming loudly in his ears.

Azusa's broken sobs and cries of pain cut into her like shards of glass. She fought to keep calm, breathing in labored breaths as she muttered false assurances.

"It's okay, it's alright. W-we'll find you a doctor-" there had been a sign for one. She felt certain of it- yes, right around the corne-

She turned, wide eyes searching frantically for a familiar sign, but there was nothing. Another back-alley awaited them.

 _D-did I take a wrong turn somewhere_?

Panic shook her frame as the sound of something wet trailed onto the ground beneath them. She didn't want to look at it, but her eyes swayed down in morbid curiosity. Blood was leaking out of the stump.

Her stomach lurched.

Damp hair slicked with sweat brushed her chin. Hot, shuddering breaths puffed against her skin.

"Azusa?" She murmured, stretched thin. When he didn't respond, she shook him in alarm. "Azusa! Stay with me. W-we just have to keep going a little further." The fear in her heart leaked out into her voice. She urged him on, but his eyes had fallen shut, feet dragging across the floor as she carried him forward.

A maze of walls covered in grime passed by, blurring into one as they struggled on. When she finally lay eyes on the sign she'd been searching for, she didn't hesitate to kick the door open. A woman met her in the entrance, mouth opening to scold her before the sight of them turned her mute.

A doctor was summoned, and from then on Donkey-skin lost track of what happened. The warmth at her side was taken away, but she followed it blindly, lancing her hands in it's pale, quivering fingers. There were shouts, blood, walls of white, someone tugging at her shoulders. When the hand she'd been holding was wrenched from her grip, a scream echoed around the room, but she couldn't tell who it had come from.

The world drifted into grey, then finally, pitch black darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

When she next lay eyes on Azusa, he was unconscious. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his injured form. She noticed that his arm had been severed slightly above where his elbow had used to be. Seeing it wrapped in bandages assured her however, even as a sickly worry and sadness rose up in her chest. She was about to reach out and touch him, when the doctor walked into the room.

After assuaging her fears about infection, and commenting on the mental side effects the trauma would inevitably awaken, the subject of payment came up.

"I don't have much." She murmured, offering the last handful of coins she had.

"I'm afraid that won't be enough to cover the cost."

Alarm flared up inside her. "W-wait! I do have something..."

She begged the doctor to wait, and with a lingering look at the unconscious man, she swept out of the room.

Later, with a steady hand, she handed over the daylight dress. The doctor gave her a strange look. His protest went unsaid however, as he rubbed the fabric between his thumb, finding the material exquisite. As he unfolded it, the image of a beautiful, cloudless sky flashed in his mind.

"My daughter, she will surely love this." He murmured, gazing at the garment with awe.

Donkey-skin nodded tensely. "Will this be enough?"

When the doctor nodded, relief flooded her. She didn't even notice the tears welling up in her eyes. Murmuring a thank you, she sat down heavily in a chair by Azusa's side. Her fingers automatically sought the spaces between his, as she clasped their hands together.

Azusa didn't wake for several days. Keeping vigilance over him, Donkey-skin girl barely ate, so consumed with worry that she barely thought of little else. At times, the Prince's gathering drifted into her mind, but she shook it away. Azusa had stayed by her side, it felt only right to stay by his.

As her mind distracted itself, one very important detail about the man in her charge slipped blissfully away. It was only when he finally cracked his eyes open did it raise it's ugly head, piercing her heart.

"Where...where is Justin?" Were the first words from his lips. He stared down at the empty space where his arm used to be. "Ne... Christina and Melissa are missing too. Eve, Eve...where did they go?"

Donkey-skin stared into his wide, trembling gaze as he turned dazedly around the room. He barely seemed to notice his missing appendage. All he cared about were the scars. Azusa leaned up quickly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"A-azusa! Calm down. You need to rest more." She tried pushing his shoulders back, bidding him to lie down, but he stubbornly tried to stand on quivering legs.

"No, I need them. I need my friends...where are they?" His voice, usually in a monotone, rose higher, panic lacing his words. He stood up, stumbling as his knees threatened to give out. She caught him, trying to sit him back down, but he pushed past her with surprising strength. Sweat broke out on his forehead, breathing becoming labored with every step to the door.

"Azusa! You cant! Please, please just-"

"What's going on in here?" The collected voice of the doctor reached her ears.

A flurry of activity broke out. Pale limbs were ceased as nurses pulled him back. The doctor ushered her from the room, until all she could hear was Azusa's frantic cries from behind the door.

"No, NO! Justin! JUSTIN!"

She pressed fists against her eyes, squeezing them shut as her shoulders dropped, shaking minutely.

" _Azusa_..."

More days passed by. Somehow, everything felt worse with Azusa awake. He wouldn't eat unless forced to, and he barely spoke, except to ask where his friends were.

Unable to keep watching him deteriorate, Donkey-skin left the doctors once more. This time, she headed straight for the fabric stand in the middle of a bustling courtyard.

The burly man dressed in orange barely noticed when she sidled up to his stand. When she drew back her hood however, and his eyes snapped on hers, she inwardly flinched even as she remained outwardly indifferent. This was the face Azusa had stared into before losing his arm.

With a repulsed, disgusted feeling, she noticed a single arm had been nailed up behind him on a stand. To any other merchant, it was simply a warning to thieves, an example of what would happen. To her, it looked like a sick trophy.

"Sir, I have an interest in that arm. Please, would you consider giving it to me?"

"T-this arm? Are you sick in the head? This here was cut off a thief, it's a reminder not to steal from honest folk."

"Yes, I understand that, Sir." Her lips thinned into a grim line.

The man scratched his cheek, eyes racking up and down her form. "You don't look like you have much to offer, but if you give me something worth my while, I might reconsider giving it to you."

Cold, sharp rage boiled beneath her skin at the look in his eye. She calmly reached inside her cloak and retrieved something, hesitating to hand it over.

 _But, if it's for Azusa then..._

She slowly put the invitation to the royal ball onto the counter.

"A-amazing. They stopped selling invites a week ago." He breathed.

"Give me the arm now, and you can have it." She gritted out.

He grabbed a hammer, pulling the nail free that pinned the arm to the stand. He then wrapped the limb in a brown cloth and handed it to her. She took it numbly, noticing it weighed almost nothing.

Gritting her teeth, she drew her hood back up, turning and disappearing into the crowd without another word.

Someone's elbow suddenly knocked into her roughly, and she yelped, pain flaring in her side. She fell to the ground, the arm tumbling free from her grip.

"Ha? Oi, watch where you're going next time." A gruff voice muttered.

"Wait, Yuma." Another man suddenly knelt before her, his hand frozen mid-air over Azusa's scarred arm. Blue-grey eyes narrowed, staring at it intently. "It...can't be." He muttered dazedly, gaze turning sharp as flint when they fixed on her.

* * *

"Eve..." Azusa murmured in a thin voice as he gazed at the arm she offered him. "Thank you." He took it with thin fingers, touching one of the scars gently.

Donkey-skin nodded silently, her eyes widening in horror at his next words.

"I...should find my needles. If I...stitch my friends back on then I can keep them with me."

Cold hands latched onto his only arm, drawing his attention to her. Firm, unwavering words left her lips. "No Azusa."

He didn't seem to understand as his gaze slipped back to the pale arm.

Her voice bordered on desperate. "Azusa. It'll get infected. I didn't bring your friends back to you so that you could watch them slowly rot. I brought them for you to say goodbye."

"No..." He shook his head, misted eyes faraway, unstable. "No. I can't."

"Yes you can. You can find proof of your existence in other things, Azusa." A serious voice reached their ears, the tone steady and self assured.

Azusa's head slowly raised, his eyes widening upon seeing the dark haired man in the doorway.

"I see you haven't changed." The man said, a slight warmth in his eyes.

"Ru..ki..." The broken name left Azusa's lips. "How did...why are-?"

"Oi Azusa, the fuck happened to you?" Another, taller man entered the room, his shirt stained with droplets of blood. Blood she knew to be from the merchant.

"Bear..."

"Actually it's Yuma now. Got a new name when we were taken in."

A blond young man pushed past him to wave energetically. "Me too~ You're looking at Kou now."

Donkey-skin watched them all with a faint smile, feeling the anxiousness in her heart easing little by little. A sparkle of life had entered Azusa's eyes as he gazed at his lost brothers.

"You're all here." He murmured, voice thin.

Yuma huffed. "And where were you, little idiot? We looked for ya for years."

"Y-you...did?"

Something squeezed in his chest at those words, and without realizing, his eyes strayed back to the girl beside him. She just smiled warmly, and Azusa felt his grip on the severed arm loosen.

* * *

Once he'd recovered enough, Azusa and Donkey-skin traveled with his brothers to their adoptive father's kingdom.

Donkey-skin knew of Karlheinz. Infamous for his scandalous private life, the only thing that made other rulers fear him was his penchant for randomly conquering other lands with the mere caprice of his mood.

She steeled herself for an audience with him.

They'd buried Azusa's arm in the garden at Karlheinz's castle, under a tree with twisting branches. "You have your brothers now, Azusa. You're not alone." She'd murmured, her hand on his shoulder as he'd stared mournfully at the patch of ground.

"What will...we do now, Eve?" He asked softly, once they were seated on a nearby porch overlooking the gardens.

She thought of what she intended to say to Karlheinz. "My kingdom is in shambles because of my Father's rule. It would be better for everyone if he were overthrown. Karlheinz can do that, if I tell him the right ways to infiltrate the city." It was the same thought she'd planned to share the Prince at the royal ball.

Azusa looked at her. "Will that...bring you happiness?"

"I don't know." She admitted quietly.

She jumped when soft fingers cupped her cheek, turning her face to his.

Depthless emotion stared back at her, so intense it bordered on overwhelming. "Let me...make you happy, Eve. Don't be afraid..."

He bent to capture her lips with a hungry rush. Donkey-skin inhaled sharply, before she felt Azusa's kiss soften. His mouth became a confusing sensation, yielding under hers one moment but then pressing firmly the next. When his tongue slid between her teeth, she tensed, but his hand grabbed hers, raising it to his cheek. Her fingers strayed of their own accord into feather-like hair, the soft wisps brushing her forehead as they pressed close.

She felt his arm wrap around her waist, pulling their bodies taut against each other. When his tongue swept deeper into her mouth, she shuddered all over. Azusa broke away to pant softly, desire darkening his gaze as the fingers at her waist dug in.

The wordless need inside her that sought his comforting strangeness made her muscles shift forward, until she found herself straddling him. The cool surface of the wood under her knees contrasted with the hard, warm body beneath her.

"Ne...can we... become one?" He murmured, his single hand slowly caressing the plains of her back. She gripped his shoulders, breathing out unsteadily when he bent forward to nuzzle her neck, tongue dragging across heated flesh.

The disgust wasn't there. Her heart hammered like a drum, but she didn't feel sickened. Azusa's touches were light, but betrayed a strength beneath them. Something entirely sinful blackened his gaze, completely at odds with his innocent face. And yet, she was not afraid.

" _Yes_ ," she murmured, surprising herself with the yearning in her voice.

His hips rolled, rigid length clearly in need of friction as it ground harshly, the heat of it throbbing through multiple layers of clothing. She hissed as it rubbed her sex, and found herself mimicking his movements. His teeth scraped her neck, those soft strands of his hair tickling her chin as he bit down, breaking the skin. A low, embarrassing sound slipped past her mouth. Azusa chuckled as he sucked her flesh, leaving behind a red mark which he touched reverently.

More grinding, moaning, sucking, more shame at how Azusa could make her core clench and ache. Juices slipped down between her thighs.

His hand eased down between them to touch her, rubbing with an almost bruising pressure. It was enough to set off fireworks as she trembled on his lap. Azusa glanced down and then up at her, trying and failing with something. She noticed his frustrated silence, and suddenly understood.

Shifting above him, she reached down, freeing his length with slow movements. Azusa released an unsteady breath, his eyes dark, steeped with sorrow.

She murmured that it was alright, but he leaned forward, cheek brushing hers. "I want...to hold you properly. But I...I..."

Donkey-skin shook her head, grabbing his hand and wrapping his arm around her waist. She leaned up, giving herself enough room to slide her underwear and stockings down, before lowering herself back down. She sank herself slowly onto his aching erection, and he made a noise of surprise. Gritting her teeth at the invasive feeling, her hands tightened on his shoulders.

The foreign sensation sank deeper, until he was buried inside her. They panted, breaths mingling. "You- you can hold me. The arm around me right now is all we'll ever need. I- I don't...I've never felt this good before." She assured him.

Wide, dazed eyes stared into hers, before his face became intent, serious. His hips rammed up, making her cling to his shoulders. Her mouth hung open wordlessly as he began to move, gripping her close with that one arm.

It was messy, heinous and dripping. A palpable mixture of sweet and sin that made her quiver and beg incoherently. Her fingers dug deep rivets into his shoulders.

He groaned, tongue sweeping up her neck to hiss lustily in her ear. "Harder…even…harder…"

Lost in sensation, she didn't know what he meant, but her hips began to move with his, nails sinking deeper, leaving crescent moons. They gasped and clung to each other, heedless of the sounds of their bodies moving.

When she felt something snap within her, she sought his hair, sliding her fingers between the strands. Overwhelmed, she quaked around him, squeezing her eyes shut and trying not to let dark thoughts creep inside her flesh. Azusa groaned and dropped his head to her shoulder, finishing with a quiet, shuddering moan inside her.

They stayed locked together, breathing heavily. "Will you always care for me, Azusa?" She murmured, almost to herself.

"Of course...Eve is...my most precious person."

Her throat constricted, and she squeezed her lashes shut. In the furthermost corners of her mind, she begged his words to be true.

* * *

A great, dark plume of smoke rose high, spiraling into the heavens above. The scent of ash and burning flesh infested the air.

Donkey-skin stood before the castle gates. Her old home had been set ablaze during the siege of Karlhienz's armies. With the information she'd given him, he'd made quick work of infiltrating the city and striking at the heart of the kingdom.

She looked at the thing on the ground with glass-like eyes. Her revenge was complete. The dreadful feeling within her should have been purged, but it persisted, festering like a wound.

The hate in Cook's eyes as realization had dawned came back.

 _"You...this is your fault, isn't it_? _You brought this on us." Cook had sneered, rage blackening her voice. "And for what_? _To 'free' us_? _" She'd spat at the former princess' feet. "Stop kiddin' yourself, lass. You only did this to get back at your old man. And look how many have died for it."_

Donkey-skin barely noticed the damage of the city. Her mind was cast adrift somewhere buried but unforgotten.

 _His hand touched her hair. His hands...big, strong and familiar. The touch was so comforting it made her smile._

 _"Father."_

The scent of his corpse filled her lungs.

"Eve." Azusa's soft voice reached her ears, just as fingers wrapped around her frozen hand.

Her hood was gently pulled back, revealing a raw, tear stained face. Lips chapped and heart shuddering with the effort it took to smile, she looked at him. "Can you...still care for me now, Azusa?" The ugliness inside her heart now had tangible form, mingling within the ashes.

He didn't hesitate, his ardent gaze not glancing once at the bodies strewn around the courtyard. His eyes reflected her, _only her_. He stroked the inside of her wrist adoringly, as if she were one of his scars. "Even if Eve is cast out of hell...I will always...be by her side."


	8. Reiji Sakamaki

Chapter 8 ~ Reiji Sakamaki

Warnings: Smut, implications of dismemberment.

* * *

 **Schadenfreude**

 _Rook di goo, rook di goo!_  
 _There's blood in the shoe._  
 _The shoe is too tight,_  
 _This bride is not right!_

 _~Charles Perrault_

Quick, exhilarated breaths laced with pain. She pushed herself on, gritting her teeth, heart threatening to burst. Spinning in a tight circle, trembling feet tripped once more, breaking her perfect form. Staggering, she caught the wall of the ballroom, rapid breathing sounding too loud in the large, empty room. Sweat rolled down her temple.

It needed to be perfect. A waltz, a tango, whichever one he chose, it didn't matter. If she couldn't dance, then she'd be an embarrassment to her husband on their wedding day. No doubt they'd dance a set, watched by onlookers from the entire kingdom.

She glared down at her aching, blistered feet. They'd probably started bleeding again.

Sighing, she dragged herself to a seat, fingers twitching with the need to remove her shoes and rub the abused flesh. Glancing around her, she bent down-

"Is your commitment so lax that you'd allow yourself a break, this early into practice?"

She froze, straightening just as a tall gentleman entered the room. His steps were quiet, movements regal and smooth as he came to stand before her. As always, he gave off a slightly condescending air, and the handsomeness of his features belied the sharp bite that lurked just beneath every word.

Adjusting her skirts around her to hide her feet, she raised her chin, acting unaffected by his presence.

"No, not at all. Can I help you, your Highness?"

He met her gaze evenly, considering her. "I may be a Prince, but you're my fiancee now. You can speak with me a little less stiffly, so long as you don't step out of bounds."

Her eyes widened, having not expected this. "Then...how should I refer to you? Is just 'Reiji' acceptable?"

"Good grief. I give an inch and you take a mile..." Reiji gave a resigned sigh, fixing her with a haughty look. "Very well. Since we are to be wed in just a month's time, a little familiarity is fine, so long as you address me correctly while in public. As for why I'm here, I was observing your atrocious dancing and decided to intervene."

She was unable to keep the surprise from her voice. "You were watching?"

"Please don't squeak like that. It is unbecoming." He pushed the rim of his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'm sure you realise that dancing like this requires a partner. Why are you alone?"

Standing up to regain her indifferent composure, she fought not to take a few steps back. The urge to put a little distance between them tugged at her aching feet, but she focused on the pain instead of her discomfort. Her fiance's stare bore into her as she held his gaze. "I thought you would be busy, and didn't want to disturb you."

"While I would usually be thankful for a degree of forethought for my time, you're ultimately being stupid. Which do you think would be more harmful in the long run? A little time out of my schedule to refine you, or the subsequent embarrassment our wedding dance would be?"

She remained absolutely still as he shifted, dark hair caressing his cheeks as he leaned down to eye level.

"It would be more accurate to say that you were afraid of approaching me, weren't you?" The cadence of his voice sharpened into a point, and she heard the teeth in his words. Unlike before, she didn't react, and kept her head raised. He was an unknown entity to her, so sharp and collected at all times. She had no idea what lurked underneath that poised, gentlemanly appearance, but the scent of him sent her head reeling. It was a mix of chemicals, and beyond that, a strangely lulling one.

The aroma of black tea.

Something shifted in his eyes. "I'll make things clear for you, so that you understand; I took an interest in you at the Ball. However, from what I've seen, your grace and elegance have all but disappeared."

A memory flashed inside her mind, of swaying bodies, priceless chandeliers, glittering dresses, and fine wine coating her tongue. He caught her dazed attention once more as he straightened, his face a stoic mask. "Unless you take steps to correct this, I will call off the wedding."

Fierce alarm cut into her heart like pinpricks of glass. "I-I am a Baron's daughter! Such things have been branded into me since birth!" Her heart stuttered in her chest as she pressed down the urge to argue.

The afternoon sunlight caught his glasses, before he tilted his head, a sneer colouring his voice. "It's not just those qualities. Your etiquette, posture, even your intelligence..." she glared at that, and his eyes narrowed in answer. "Your very nature has changed. Exhibit some degree of effort to refine yourself, and all will continue on as before. I will personally oversee your progress." His lips curved up at the edges, morphing into a strange smile.

She willed the frown to smooth away, frustrated that she'd broken her composure so easily around him. With a start, she felt the soft material of a glove beneath her chin, before the pressure of his fingers urged her to look up. His smile curved wider at the spark in her gaze, as if delighting in the struggles it took to uphold her image.

"My...that your eyes can be so clear and defiant, even now. I'm surprised." Reiji murmured, a snide lift to his words.

"Your Highness." Came a hesitant voice.

Reiji turned to the doorway, where a servant lingered.

"What is it?"

"Pardon the intrusion. Prince Kanato is...well, he's among the dining guests, my Prince." The servant winced.

Reiji exhaled sharply, a rigidness creeping into his frame that hadn't been there before. His fiancee looked on as the servant bowed and left, while Reiji turned away.

"Please bathe yourself, before asking a servant to escort you to my room."

"Your room?"

"Yes. Be prudent. This annoyance shouldn't take long, and I don't appreciate being kept waiting."

With those taciturn words, he left, taking that heavy, assessing air with him. As she stood rigidly in place long after he'd gone, an insidious feeling, like that of a test subject to be studied, weighed upon her. He'd been that way when she'd first arrived at the castle a few weeks prior.

Making her way back to her room, a brief flash of a item hidden beneath her bed came to mind. It felt like an eternity passed before she found her hands gripping the sides of the plain white shoe box. The fiancee sat on her bed, the grandness of her room ignored in favour of the simple box. With shaking fingers, she lifted the lid, gazing at the flawless shapes beneath.

Glass slippers caught the light. Her heart stuttered.

The lid slammed shut when a knock sounded on her door, and the fiancee quickly hid the box away once more.

Answering it, she found a maid, who cheerfully announced that they'd readied a bath for her.

Some time later, after soaking in the tub, she shook her head at her foolishness. It hardly mattered if someone caught her admiring the shoes. The second born prince had only announced his engagement to her because of the wretched things. They were what she was famed for. The infamous woman, who had run from him at the strike of midnight, leaving behind a single glass slipper.

Reiji had sent a vast number of officials out to find the wearer of the shoe, and in the end, after searching tirelessly, they'd brought her to the castle.

And the day she'd arrived...

 _The day I arrived, Reiji...why? Why did you look so uninterested in me? Why try so hard to find the wearer of the shoe, only to gaze at them with such empty eyes?_

The fiancee mused to herself, after she'd been dried and clothed, following silently behind a servant, that perhaps they were more alike than she'd thought.

Because his eyes back then...had reflected exactly what she'd been feeling, hidden inside her heart.

* * *

Walking on eggshells around her fiance in the following days, the woman tried her best to gauge his moods and character. Unfortunately, Reiji kept up a reserved and strict air of professionalism between them, acting more like her personal trainer than potential lover.

More than that, his blunt, cutting words made it difficult for her to retain her own constructed persona.

"Stand there for an hour."

Her teeth gnashed together, trying to keep herself still as the book balanced precariously on her head. She smoothed the wrinkles in her expression as he ignored her in favour of an old book.

They were situated outside on a balcony, which was wide and spacious, leading directly to his room. The fiancee had noticed chemicals in glass tubes, along with books on alchemy inside. She hadn't been able to get a close look at them, but it went without saying that Reiji had obviously dabbled in the black arts.

She wasn't about to bring that topic up. No doubt he'd ask her how she knew of such things, why she recognised the black bound book on his second shelf.

The book toppled from her head.

"Really now. Is your posture so terrible that you can't stand still for five seconds?" A deceptively calm voice asked, sharp eyes apprising her.

She quickly grabbed the book and placed it back on her head. She didn't want him to see her squirm, as she had when they'd practised etiquette and holding cutlery correctly. It wasn't that she was terrible at the tasks, far from it. She knew how to act and behave, or which silverware to use. No, it was more the danger of Reiji's silent, assessing presence. He watched her with a sort of fixation, which she'd keenly felt with every moment that passed.

Her feet began to ache, and she grit her teeth when the pages on her head started to slip.

"It seems you weaken considerably, whenever you spend a significant amount of time on your feet." His voice was suddenly too close, and a pressure on her lower back made her stiffen. The pressure increased to correct her posture, until her spine straightened, and she felt the pad of his thumb brush the lacy material of her dress.

"Is there a reason for this?"

"Of course not. Though I've noticed...we're a little late in starting my studies. Should we not move on to politics? The trade industry of your kingdom, or reciting Latin..."

Reiji had insisted she learn everything about the inner workings of the kingdom. She felt her fingers twitch with the need to ball into fists when he brushed past her, sending her heart stuttering. He glanced back at her with a calculating look, before nodding.

"You're right. Come, today we'll do something different."

Sighing in relief, the fiancee promptly reached for the book, only to stop and think better of it. Reiji's eyes widened minutely, before he pushed the rim of his glasses up out of habit and gave her permission to stop.

The quiet, assessing air between them only doubled as she was led into his room, and was given free reign to look at what she pleased.

Unable to gauge his motives, she carefully perused his selection of books, avoiding the dark magic book, before gravitating towards the chemicals.

She suddenly stopped, experiencing a brief flash of nostalgia. "Mother used this one in her perfumes."

"Oh?"

"And this one when mixed with rosemary is-" She noticed his intent stare and straightened. "Ah, sorry. I'm hardly a herbalist, but I couldn't help myself."

Reiji finally looked away, shifting in his armchair to reach for a book. "It's fine. If you know so much about herbs, then perhaps you can find me this one. It is the right season for them after all." He flipped to a page, which displayed a herb that struck a familiar chord with her. There was a phrase next to it, in a foreign language she couldn't read.

"Do you have the name of it?" She tried.

His eyes glittered with amusement. "I'm sure you're capable of finding it without one."

The fiancee agreed, if only to try and gauge an understanding about her intended, since the barriers of distrust were still towering high.

She set out in a carriage, and bypassed the bustling town in favour of the woods lurking on the outskirts. She'd bid the driver to wait, and had wandered into the cover of the trees with nothing but a basket and knife in hand.

She felt a little foolish, traipsing through the woods with only a picture of the herb to go on. Sighing in annoyance when her skirt caught on a nearby bush, she tugged it free, continuing her search.

It took hours, and the fiance had stopped many times, taking notice of her surroundings to ensure that she wouldn't lose her way.

A black crow had been following her for awhile now, but she pretended not to notice it as the sound of wings filled her ears once more. Perhaps it was from Reiji, keeping an eye on her. She ignored it, searching near the riverbanks, clearings, even around the meadow lying just outside the cover of the trees. Yet found nothing.

"This is ridiculous." She grouched, feeling as if Reiji had played a cruel joke on her.

Just as she rested against a tree, a line of ants by her foot caught her attention. Her eyes followed them, travelling further up the line to where a white butterfly lay helplessly on the ground. Part of it's wing was damaged, yet the other was still fluttering futilely, trying to save itself.

The fiancee stared, morbidly entranced as the ants began to swarm around the broken butterfly. They pulled it's wings apart slowly, making the little insect tremble and writhe.

 _"Cinderella, oh Cinderella! Where are you, little slut!"_

The black crow cawed. She started, broken from her heavy thoughts. With a dull realisation, she found the plant she'd been searching for right in front of her. Stepping over the dead butterfly, she took a closer look at the leaves.

 _I know this plant. But what was it called?_

Somehow, this detail that he'd left out felt extremely important. The leaves were a dull, darkish green, with pitch black berries on the stems.

 _Atropa Belladonna._ It came to her suddenly.

Her eyes widened, and she froze.

 _Deadly Nightshade._

The fiancee rose a brow, regaining her sense of calm and considering the plant before her. She was not a benevolent woman. It hardly mattered to her what her future husband did with the poison. She'd known something was amiss from his concoctions. They'd had a pungent smell that twisted her stomach, but worse was the tinge of sickening sweetness lingering in the air.

The closest she could describe it to, was a rotting piece of meat that had been left out in the sun, mixed with that of cheap perfume. The unmistakable scent of...

Bile rose in her throat. She closed her eyes against the image that awaited her every night in her dreams, before rolling her sleeves up and getting to work.

* * *

"Where are the berries?"

"I picked them off."

Reiji stared at her fixedly, eyes narrowing. "Indeed. Why, pray tell, would you do that?"

"I couldn't conceive a good reason for why you'd need them." The words rolled off her tongue with practised ease despite the malevolence in his gaze.

"Ah, by which you mean; You ruined any chance I might've had of poisoning someone, by removing the berries."

The fiancee watched as he eased out of his armchair, ignoring the plant she'd placed on his desk and approaching her slowly.

"Fufu, what a foolish girl I am to marry." His eyes lit up with a predatory gleam that had her shifting. Reiji calmly tugged at the white glove on his left hand, explaining in a clipped tone;"The roots are far more potent than the berries, and yet you didn't remove them. Only simpletons and children eat the berries, and sometimes they can be saved, but the plant itself is far more useful."

The glove was pulled free, and he reached past her with slow, lingering movements to place it on the desk behind her. When he pulled back, he caught her gaze and held it captive. "I'm afraid this calls for more severe training than you're typically used to. You deliberately tried to sabotage this task."

She stiffened. "B-but, you said it yourself; I wasn't successful."

"Good thing you weren't, or what I'm about to do would be far more painful. Turn around."

Alarm flared briefly inside her. She'd known he would do something if she disobeyed, in fact she'd counted on it. If it meant unearthing the shadows flitting behind his expressions, she'd committed to seeing this through. Anything was better than the cold war between them, the stagnant distrust. Yet it didn't make facing his icy wrath any easier. "Y-you can't do this-"

"Actually, you'll find that I can. The question is whether or not you can bare it. If you're so against this treatment, then by all means leave at any time."

The challenge was there, as was the necessity of her task. She needed to marry the Prince, above all else. But now she knew without doubt that he was well aware of her less than innocent motivations. Perhaps he'd always known.

Her eyes sharpened with determination. Her gaze stayed locked with his, until she obediently turned around.

Unsure what to expect, she shuddered when his dark voice brushed close to her ear. "Help yourself to a drink."

Her eyes rested on the teapot in-front of her, hands lifting automatically to the handle. If she'd acted on her mounting terror, she would've thrown the priceless china at him and ran from the room. As it was, she poured herself a cup of black tea, a comforting steam curling the rim.

"Go ahead. I trust it's not too hot." Came the silken voice once more.

The fiancee lifted the cup with stiff, measured movements. Her eyes shifted to the glass tubes around the room, filled with various chemicals. _Poisons_.

Inhaling slightly, she found the scent slightly off. It smelled too sharp, almost like mint but much more overpowering.

She shivered when a hand settled on her waist to steady her as she swayed. He'd made no effort to hide that the tea had been tampered with.

 _Surely_ , she thought, _he wouldn't kill me._

The gloved fingers tightened, digging into her waist. Lips brushed her ear, the voice a hungry rush. _"Drink."_

In her mind, she begged and pleaded with his humanity as she shakily brought the cup to her lips and drank. The instant the tea slid down her throat, she coughed, covering her mouth with her hand. Squeezing her eyes shut against the putrid taste that made her eyes and tongue burn, the cup slipped free from her fingers. Porcelain shattered, sending the rest of it's contents spilling over the side of his desk and dripping to the floor.

"Good grief, what a mess you've made. Come, lie down. You'll be even more of a nuisance if you fall."

 _Why would I fall?_

Already she felt something spreading through her body, heating it from the inside just as her limbs grew stiff and heavy. She made it half-way to the sofa before she collapsed onto her knees.

Reiji picked her up without a word, and set her down onto the soft material. He checked her pulse and found it racing, muttering to himself about dosage. He smoothly rose to grab a small piece of parchment, dipping a quill into some nearby ink and writing some notes.

Distant terror filled her as she tried and failed to lift her hand. It lay heavy as a brick at her side. She focused on her breathing, trying not to panic as she lay trapped inside her own body. Reiji suddenly appeared in her line of sight as he leaned over her, putting some eye drops into her pupils.

"You'll regain your ability to blink in a few moments, so bare with it. Since your vital organs haven't shut down, the dosage seems not to be lethal. I'm pleased my hunch was correct."

Her face remained emotionless even as horror swamped her insides.

"Paralysis is somewhat more interesting to behold than someone poisoned. One who is poisoned knows they are dying, and will scramble and beg for an antidote. But all you can do right now is silently scream." Reiji turned her head with deceptively gentle movements, and she started at the amusement dancing in his eyes.

"The next part should take effect soon." He noted softly, lips lifting. What started out as a debonair smile soon spread, revealing teeth as his lips stretched unnaturally wide. Her heart did a strange pulse, quickening in the wake of that smile. "I wonder how susceptible you are to aphrodisiacs."

She lay helplessly, unable to look away from him as her eyes began to sting. Heat momentarily swept through her, gradually worsening. It started out in her lower belly, sending her heart into jitters as her breathing hitched.

The heat began to spread, rushing through her veins and alighting her flesh. A viciously painful ache tightened her core.

Her lashes fluttered, before she found herself able to blink.

"You feel it now, don't you? Blink once for yes, and twice for no.'' Reiji uttered calmly.

Despite the red hot need flowing through her body, making her feel wanton and ravenous, she forced herself to blink twice.

"No?" He rose a brow. "So if I do this-" his hand brushed the expanse of her bared collarbone, before travelling down her side. It was when his fingers passed dangerously close to her breast that her lashes squeezed shut. "You're saying it doesn't effect you at all?" He murmured, cruelty in his knowing gaze.

She desperately longed for relief as heat swelled inside her. Never had she wished so much for the ability to move, to rub her thighs together to alleviate the ache, or perhaps let her hand stray...

"This particular aphrodisiac is designed to battle the paralysis and take effect while you're under the influence of both. Some think aphrodisiacs are mere placebo effects, but I'm sure you feel differently." He smirked, hand trailing maddeningly close to her core as his fingers rested over her navel.

He then bent very close to her face, and she willed herself to sink deeper into the cushions even as she lay trapped. Hot breath fanned over her cheek.

"...You're ultimately just marrying me for my title, aren't you?" He muttered, searching her face for a response. "Come, you can at least be honest about that. It is for that reason, that I should at least be entitled to a wife that I can respect. I'd rather not have to tolerate my partner like I do my brothers."

That delicious pressure in her lower regions flared alive with the brush of his fingers over her sex, making her burst at the seems. He touched her over her clothes, making her frustrated and desperate, even as her dignity cried out for him to stop.

"You should know... I despise manipulative women. They are not strong creatures, but mere cowards, hiding behind saccharine smiles to obtain shallow desires. I met many of those women at the ball." His eyes stayed locked with hers as the pressure of his digits increased, rubbing her core in achingly tight circles.

Her face had heated by now, her breathing erratic.

"Understand this; If you insist on marrying me, then do not act on the vapid thoughts that brought you this far. If you conduct yourself anything at all like that soulless bitch who raised the triplets, then I'm afraid a marriage certificate will not be enough to save you."

The sweetened ache blazed into an agonising, encompassing pain. "Do I make myself clear?"

She blinked once.

Reiji stared at her, before the fingers at her core pulled away. A whimper escaped her parted lips and he paused. Dark red eyes observed her with gleeful, darkened malice.

She understood it now, understood him more than she'd liked to. He wasn't angry with her for sabotaging the plant on purpose, it was the thinking behind it. Her penchant for manipulation had blackened his mood.

Reiji turned away from her and began to work on something, measuring different vials and jotting notes down.

His fiancee lay frozen in a perpetual state of need, seeking relief and yet never finding it.

An hour or so later, mobility crept back into her veins, and she rose from the sofa, fully intending to leave without a word.

"By the way, there was no aphrodisiac in the tea."

She froze.

The silken voice continued from somewhere behind her. "You're very susceptible to the power of suggestion, but beyond that, it seems you truly found pleasure in what just took place. How interesting."

Gritting her teeth in embarrassment, she felt her face flame red. Quickly walking from the room, she tried to grasp the remaining tatters of her dignity.

* * *

It was several days later that she heard the announcement. Another ball was to be held, but this time it was in honour of their engagement. The day of the wedding approached swiftly, and would take place a mere few days after the engagement ball.

 _"While taking care of you, I've let some of my responsibilities slip onto others shoulders. Of course they would shirk them until the last moment. How detestable some people are."_ Reiji had muttered, annoyed that the date of the ball had been pushed back so far. It felt inconsequential to have one, and she'd said as much to him, but he'd just looked at her flatly.

And yet, as she watched him flit from one organiser to another, remembering every detail, she realised how committed to work he was. She knew he was no pampered prince, but his penchant for finery had blind-sighted her to how much he took on. With no brothers in sight to help, and a seemingly unmotivated workforce of servants, she felt a slight pang. His movements blurred away for just a moment, until another figure was in his place. A delicate young woman stood, frantically cleaning, dust and ashes clinging to her brow.

"attention-"

She blinked, and found Reiji before her. To her surprise, she found her hand on his arm. Reiji was watching her seriously, reiterating his words. "You have my attention, do I have yours?"

"Forgive me- I, I wanted to ask if there's anything I can do to help prepare the Ball." She lied, shaken.

"I find it unlikely that you would be of much use, but if you insist, then I'll find something." He turned, as if to look for anything she could assist with, before thinking better of it.

"Oh, and I must insist you wear the glass slippers on the night of the ball." He murmured instead.

She felt an uncomfortable weight plunge her stomach into the abyss. "W-what?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No." She said a little too quickly. "No, not at all."

 _And there it is._ She thought. _That's all it took to break the facade._

* * *

The guests assembled in the great hall, some couples already dancing on the floor that gleamed with their swaying reflections. The fiancee watched them all, stood in a floor length dress that felt heavy and cumbersome.

She stiffened when a hand glided down her arm to her wrist, and she looked up to find Reiji. For some reason, she softened a little at the sight of him. He looked just like he had at the first ball, where they'd met...

"Your back." He said, eyes racking briefly down her form.

"Yes?"

Reiji paused, his gaze lingering on something, before turning away. "It's nothing. Your posture has improved."

He led her to the floor, one hand at her back and the other clasped around her own. She followed him with practised ease, used to the sensation of his lithe body brushing against hers, but feeling her heart constrict at the familiarity. Soon it would all be snatched away.

Her hand tightened around Reiji's, but he didn't comment. They each knew the fragile peace between them would change tonight.

When they finished the set, she gazed up at him numbly, wondering. Why had he poured so much effort into refining her, if he knew it wouldn't last? Did he find satisfaction in seeing her futile struggle?

 _Do you have any affection for me at all, Reiji?_

Excusing herself, the fiancee made her way to her room, knowing it couldn't be avoided.

Gentle moonlight glinted off the dainty slippers. Her fingers shook as she gripped them tightly, the glass cool to the touch. To her horror, droplets landed on the surface of the shoes, sliding down the sides and hitting the floor by her feet. The fiancee bowed her head, shoulders shaking while quiet, broken sobs escaped thin, cruel lips.

Staggering outside onto her balcony, she sat down heavily onto a chair, placing the box onto a table. Then, with trembling fingers, she picked up the sharp blade that lay hidden inside. She'd placed it within the shoe-box for safe keeping, but now she wished she hadn't.

Breathing out slowly, she hitched up her skirts, tying them out the way, around her waist. Then, leaning over in her seat, she stared down at her feet.

More specifically, the severed toes on her left foot.

To stare at the damaged flesh for any length of time made her almost forget what having toes looked like. But all she had to do was look at her right foot to know that she was misshapen.

 _And now I'm disfiguring myself again._ She thought, with a calmness she did not feel.

Remembering the pain, the blood from the first time, it stilled her hand rock solid.

Swallowing thickly, she lowered the blade, until it rested over the toes on her right foot. I need to be perfect. I need to fit into the shoes.

"It's the only way." She murmured numbly, eyes glassy with remembrance.

 _"It's the only way, my Dear. Think of your mother! Think of your sister! You will be saving us from destitution. All you need to do is marry the Prince. Marry him and all the pain will go away. In time you'll barely notice it, I promise."_

 _She was terrified. She'd never been so scared of Mother before. At the sight of her wavering, sharp fingers grasped her hair, locking tight around the locks in a steel grip._

 _"Listen here, you ingrate! I will not go back to the streets, do you understand? You'll obey me or I'll- I'll lock you upstairs with that wrench Cinderella! Is that what you want?"_

A wail had escaped her that was echoed now, as she pressed the blade down harder. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes, remembering how it had sank into her flesh and gotten stuck partway through muscle and bone. It'd been agonising.

Hot tears streaked down her cheeks as she inhaled sharply, pressing harder until she drew blood-

"That's quite enough."

Gloved fingers wrapped around her own, prying the numbed digits away from the blade. It clattered to the ground.

Breathing harshly, she stared into Reiji's intent gaze. He knelt before her, a shadow passing over his face.

"This farce has ended. You'll explain everything. Now."

She shivered in light of his voice, pitched black as night. But her mind had drifted away, somewhere safe, into childhood fairy tales. Smiling brokenly, she began her tale;

"Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Cinderella. She had everything she could ever want, a loving father, big house, and beauty beyond compare. One day, her father remarried, taking a new, and very severe woman for a wife. Cinderella's Stepmother had once been a baroness you see, and had built herself up from nothing when her husband had left her penniless and laden with two daughters. Therefore, the Stepmother was cruel, jaded. After Cinderella's father died, she delighted in the girl's pain and misery. As for the Stepmother's daughters, they were incredibly shallow, spoiled things, raised on manipulation and ambition. After making Cinderella their slave, they forbid her from going to a Grand Masquerade Ball, which the sons of the King were to attend. But low and behold, on the night of the Ball, an enchanting creature attended the gathering, ensnaring the second eldest Prince's attention..."

Reiji stared at her seriously as she spoke, the sounds of the guests, though muffled by the distance between themselves and the ball, still reached their ears.

She smiled bitterly, remembering the sight. "Of course, the creature was Cinderella. She had used magic to garb herself in finery, and danced with the Prince for hours. When she suddenly fled at the strike of midnight, she left behind a glass slipper. Her Stepmother was enraged when she returned home, for though her face had been hidden under a mask, little details had given Cinderella away. The woman therefore locked Cinders away in the attic. A letter arrived soon after, informing the kingdom that a search had been issued for the wearer of the glass slipper. Whoever the shoe fit, would marry the Prince."

The fiancee swallowed the burst of emotion that threatened to pour past her teeth.

"By the time...the royal emissary arrived, Cinderella had grown very quiet in the attic. One of the Stepsisters went to see her...and found her dead. She'd died from hunger. Be- because- the..." She took an unsteady breath, pressing her lips into a thin line as tears swam in her eyes. "The Stepmother had left her to starve."

Reiji straightened into a stand, listening silently.

"T-the Stepsister knew her foot would not fit into the tiny slipper. So she found the same magic book that Cinderella's Godmother had bestowed upon her for the ball. Having very little time, and at the behest of her mother and twin sibling, the stepsister... cut off her own toes with a sharp blade, in order to fit into the shoe. The blood spilled was offered in payment for a spell that would heal her flesh, without returning the toes back to her." She presented her left, disfigured foot. Shame heated her face, an ugliness within her growing restless at the sight of him assessing her maimed flesh.

"The Stepsister put on the glass slipper, hiding her severed flesh from view until it sat snugly inside, and of course it fit. As further proof of her identity, the Stepmother pried the second glass slipper from Cinderella's cold fingers, and presented it. The emissary was delighted, and informed the Prince at once. In the week it took to arrange her move into the castle, the Stepsister relearned how to walk. Her mother and sister demanded that she send them monthly payments as soon as she was married."

She gave a dusty sigh. "And of course...she went willingly to the Prince, who'd expected that enchanting creature for a wife, and instead received..."

The smile that curled her lips felt jagged and instinctual, a reflection of her true self. "An ugly stepsister."

The tears felt hot as they ran down her cheeks, dripping to the floor. It felt strange. She'd been taught never to cry. _"It contorts your face, Dear. You must never allow anyone to look upon a face that isn't perfect. I suppose this means that you'll have to wear make-up for the rest of your life."_

"It's as I'd thought." Reiji finally spoke softly.

Her surprise soon cooled into grim acknowledgement. "You knew all along, didn't you? That I wasn't her."

"Do you take me for a fool? Any idiot could see that. It's merely that now, my theory on why you made the switch has been confirmed."

It was her turn to stare at him. Reiji sighed and pushed the rim of his glasses up. "Contrary to what you believe, I was not ensnared by Cinderella. I first approached her to dance because she seemed somewhat lost, and I intended to speak with her merely as a host. But as the night wore on, she was admittedly not bad company, and marriage had been suggested by my father just a few hours prior. When she ran from me, I was quite surprised. From her bearing, I felt she were a servant in disguise, and had a vague interest in what would happen if I extended an offer of marriage, not to her, but to the wearer of the shoe. I had a feeling something like this would happen."

"Well your curiosity is sated. The game is over. What happens now?"

Reiji fell quiet for some time, looking out at the kingdom that lay beyond her balcony. She watched him, feeling heartsick and knowing why. But she couldn't reveal what lay just beneath her story; The tangible mess of feelings she'd harboured for him even before the ball.

"I think a talk with your mother and sister is in order."

"W-what?" Dread clawed fiercely at her stomach.

"...I need to confirm something with my own eyes."

* * *

The fiancee had no choice but to notify her family via letter of their sudden visit. Her mother was less than enthused, but the moment the Prince's name was mentioned, she'd caved.

What felt like a mere few moments later, they were seated in the parlour of her old home, facing her mother and sister on the opposite sofa.

"We are honoured to receive you in our humble home, your Highness." Her mother smiled, all sharp edges and wary malice.

Reiji lifted a porcelain cup to his lips, saying nothing. His fiancee sat stiffly beside him.

Her mother and sister shared a look at his silence, and the room felt tenser, quieter. He regarded them calmly as he set the cup down on it's saucer. "Something very concerning has been raised to my attention. About your daughter."

The woman opposite him sat regal and perfect, but nothing in her made him appreciate her image. He knew this type of woman. Cordeilia had tried many times to crush his own mother under her foot in the name of competition, using underhanded tactics. This woman was no different.

"Is that so? What has she done now? I assure you that whatever it is, we can-"

"She aided in the murder of her Stepsister, who was my prospective Bride." Reiji stated. Several black crows landed on the bare branches of a tree outside, visible from the window.

"Is this true, my love?"

She kept silent under Mother's watchful gaze. Enduring it as she always had, and frozen stiff with fear.

"Some slanderous accusations have been raised against you, and yet you will not defend yourself in front of the Prince?" Her mother tutted and apologised to Reiji.

He shifted in his seat, composed as yet more crows landed on the branches outside, until they were filled with countless birds. "I believe a thorough investigation into this matter is the best course of action."

"I-investigation? Surely there's no need for such hasty measures, my Liege. These are only accusations aren't they? There's no proof." The woman's keen eyes sharpened into flint. A brief flash of fear skittered over her expression.

"She confessed."

"Oh. Oh I see, well that changes things." She snapped her fan shut. "This is a very shocking and unfortunate turn of events. I understand that a murderer cannot be fit to be by your side, though. Might I make a suggestion so that we can settle this matter with as much discretion as possible?"

Reiji watched as she smiled. "The wedding is in just a few days. A scandal wouldn't exactly break out over your cancelling it, but I know you value your image very highly as a second born Prince, do you not?"

Those ruby red lips twisted up further. "I suggest a switch. My other daughter is a very healthy young woman, who has nothing to do with this. She is her twin in every way. No would would suspect."

Reiji closed his eyes against the swell of rage that overcame him. "You would...trade her."

"Yes of course, why not? No one would be none the wiser."

A harsh sound from the crows outside made the fiancee tense. Soon the whole flock was joining in, raising harsh caws into the air, sounding famished.

Reiji chuckled, shifting in his seat as he leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "Now I understand...yes it's all very simple." He murmured to himself, eyes distant for a moment.

His gaze suddenly sharpened, locking on the fiancee's sister. "You there. What colour carnation did you wear at the Ball?"

"W-what does that-" she stopped at a sharp look from her mother, and tilted her head up arrogantly. "I don't quite remember, my Prince, but I'm fairly sure it was yellow."

The fiancee's eyes widened, and she felt her insides warm when Reiji glanced at her.

His lips tilted up into a self-deprecating smile, just for a moment, as he remembered something buried in his past, from long ago.

"I'm going to have to decline your offer. Beings are not to be switched out like a hand of cards. They have individual marks and traits that set them apart. They cannot be substituted."

A dull thud slammed against the window.

The fiancee started, and looked at the crack in the glass, which had a slight smear of blood. The crows outside were loudly screaming, a few of them leaving the branch to sweep down. They hit the glass once more.

"Your Highness, please forgive us! We didn't mean to offend." Said her sister, a squeak in her voice.

Reiji seemed to be past caring. He smoothly rose from his seat, adjusting his cuff-links. "You have made a very grievous error. I'm afraid I'm not likely to forgive this."

Continuous thuds landed against the glass in a deafening roar. The windows began to split apart, before parts of them shattered. Glass caved in. Harsh cawing from the black crows filled the room.

"W-whats going on?!" Her mother screamed over the noise.

"Please endure this experience as best you can. I have a feeling it might be quite painful." Were Reiji's last words, before all hell broke loose.

The fiancee couldn't see in-front of her for a moment. Everything turned into a haze of black feathers, wings, and loud, terrible screaming. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, pulling her frozen body into something warm. She clung to his form as they navigated through the sea of crows that swamped the room. The putrid scent of dark magic clung to her senses.

She turned back, squinting against the flurry of activity and focusing on the screaming. Just for a moment, the black sea parted, revealing the forms of her mother and sister. She stopped breathing at the sight.

Black crows were digging into their faces. They pried out Mother's eye with their sharp beaks, heedless of her flailing and broken sobs.

All the fiancee could do was watch as they were swallowed by the mass of feathers once more.

* * *

 _"Tell me what colour carnation you wore."_

 _She'd looked at him. "You already know the answer to that."_

 _"Yes, I do. But I want to hear it._

 _"It was blue. It was...your colour."_

The sound of church bells rang loudly throughout the streets, for all the kingdom to hear. The fiancee, who had now become the bride, started at her ring. The woven band of gold glimmered in the light.

She shivered, still clad in her wedding dress as she leaned on the railing of the balcony. She couldn't stop thinking about the conversation they'd had a day before the ceremony.

 _"I've admired you from a distance for a long time, so when the Ball was announced, I couldn't stop myself. Mother wanted us to appeal to the eldest Prince, but I couldn't. So I..."_

She felt hands slide onto her shoulders, gently turning her. The bride leaned up to meet his lips in a kiss, her lashes falling shut.

 _"I know I've been cruel, but I didn't want that to happen to my stepsister, you must believe me. Haven't you ever made a mistake?"_

 _"...Even I was a child once."_

He removed his gloves, letting them fall to the ground as he drew her with him into the shadows of their room. Reiji wasted no time in manoeuvring her to the bed, making her lean forward onto her forearms and leaving her back exposed to him. Pale fingers twisted into the laces of her corset, as he untied them with sharp, quick movements.

His composure didn't break as her skin was revealed to him, or even as he shed more of her clothing to leave her bare and aching. But a storm sang inside his chest, and he cupped her cheek with his palm, his thumb resting under her chin to keep her in place. When he kissed her it was with all the hazy desire he could muster, swallowing her moans as if they were the sweetest wine.

 _"Y-you still want me?"_

 _"Don't ask foolish questions."_

Her hands darling went to the buttons of his waistcoat.

"You really should understand your place by now."

Her legs were grabbed, and tied to the support beams of the bed, until her thighs were left open.

"R-reiji." She felt it keenly, the space between her legs becoming warm with anticipation. Her ankles ached from being tied up, but the air fanning on her bare skin made her forget to care.

Reiji assessed her as he loosened his tie, standing over her form. She lay open and inviting, her chest heaving with want of him. When he leaned over her, she raised her hands to touch him, embrace him, and he was struck by the look in her eye.

She wanted him. She'd chosen him. Reiji buried the part of himself that wanted to relish this, and instead kissed her deeply. His body sank down above hers, their mouths melding as he chuckled at her impatient hips pressing against his.

He entered her carefully, if only to prolong the moment and see her writhe some more. Her wet folds were slick with desire, luring him deeper, until Reiji shed all pretence and thrust inside her sharply. His bride's mouth hung open in a silent scream, before a low, delectable moan shuddered past her lips.

Reiji leaned back, and angled her hips up as he began to move. Her legs on either side of him began to twitch and tremble against their bonds, but he kept going. He tried to censure any sound that tried to escape him, but found himself releasing quiet breaths and shuddering moans. His length slid in and out of her sex with a methodical pace as her hips rose to meet his. She held onto his forearms as he moved, making strained, heinous noises that sent his heart racing.

She'd tried not to think about it, about the images that lurked in the back of her mind. But the instant she tightened and let go, white hot blistering heat sweeping through her core, the flutter of black feathers sounded in her ears.

She saw her mother and sisters faces, staring back at her with blank sockets for eyes.

Reiji shuddered and grit his teeth, his expression shuttering as he released inside her. He panted harsh, ragged breaths, staring down at his bride's terror filled eyes.

"You belong to me now. Not to them. _Forget them. Forget everything that isn't needed_."

His words filled her mind, until there was nothing but him there.

She didn't know if it was more dark magic that had made him settle so insidiously deep inside her being, but whatever it was, she embraced it. She embraced him, inhaling the scent of black tea as their bodies began to move anew.


	9. Kou Mukami

Chapter 9 ~ Kou Mukami

Warnings: Smut, dark themes.

AN: Okay so Dorian Grey isn't a fairy tale, but if Once Upon a Time can have The Count of Monte Cristo in their series, then I'm taking this bad boy to town.

Btw I am not trying to 'censor' Basil Hallward by essentially making a female OC of his position in the story, nor any gay subtext and what not. You can debate his feelings towards Dorian in your own time, but I'm just saying, Basil was a sweet man, and hypothetically that asshat Dorian would not deserve hi- (rants about a book brought out in 1890.)

Also you'll notice that Kou's backstory here doesn't include the orphanage, but as this fic goes on, it'll incorporate the themes of his abuse there.

* * *

 **Mea culpa**

 _"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful."_

 _~ Oscar Wilde_

The smell from the kitchen wafted light and pleasant through the air. It lured the Baron's daughter from her bedroom, rubbing her eye. Her stomach rumbled as she smiled innocently up at the cook.

"None for you, miss," chided the older woman.

The girl lowered her eyes, still grinning slightly. "I just wanted a midnight snack." She glanced up once more, eyes twinkling. "Father doesn't have to know."

With a sigh, she relented, returning the child's smile. It was difficult to say no when the little girl was covered in random splodges of paint. No doubt the Baron's daughter had been up out of hours painting again.

"I guess you'll need something to keep you going, if you're to create a masterpiece." The cook muttered, pushing a plate of leftovers towards her.

The girl grinned, accepting the plate with a nod of thanks. She bid the cook a goodnight, and walked away. As she passed by one of the doors in the kitchen however, she heard a clatter from outside. Glancing around, she realised that the cook had left the kitchen. Left alone, she placed her plate down and opened the door, peering out curiously.

Despite knowing it was a door used primarily for servants to gain access into the alleyway, the girl dismissed this as she stepped outside. The alleyway was bathed in dark, grim colours. Light cast by a lamppost nearby guided her as she glanced around. The usual bustle of the city surroundings sounded quiet and subdued.

Shivering, the girl wrapped her arms around herself, before she jumped, hearing another clatter. A tin can rolled out of the darkness towards her feet, and she noticed a rubbish bin had been tipped over.

Thinking it was some sort of cat that had made the noise, she grabbed her plate and brought it out, squinting into the dark.

"Here, kitty kitty." She called, making little noises and putting the plate onto the ground, pushing it out in offering.

Another clatter, like something moving, encouraged her. She continued to call, only to stop when a single brown shoe stepped into the dreary light. The girl froze as what looked like a creature about her height, inched forward. He was covered in grime, so much so that she couldn't tell the colour of his hair. He stopped a safe distance from her, his eyes making her breath hitch.

They were light, glimmering blue.

The utter beauty of them was enough to make her smile and push the plate further towards him. The boy fell on his knees in an instant, grabbing the food in his hands and frantically stuffing it in his mouth. She watched him eat dazedly, having never seen such desperation in her life.

"W-would you like a drink of water?" She asked.

Wide eyes snapped up to look at her, before he very slowly, carefully, nodded. She quickly scampered back inside and fetched a glass for him, which the boy drained with all the vigour of a man dying of thirst.

"Would you like to come inside?" The girl asked, once his plate had been licked clean.

Blue eyes widened as he stilled. He then slowly, confusedly shook his head. The girl sat back on her heels and sighed, but nodded in acceptance.

The boy motioned to her clothes, pointing to the bright blotches of reds, blues and oranges staining her frock.

She smiled. "Oh, these? They're from painting. If you like, I could show you another day."

He hesitated, standing up and looking at the open doorway she'd entered from. He slowly nodded, before turning on his heel and running around the corner of the alley. The little girl gasped, running after him to watch him leave. He darted over to the far corner of the city square, before bending down and lifting one of the metal grates in the pavement meant for sewage.

He climbed down inside it, disappearing from sight.

* * *

The next night repeated the same actions as the first, much like the fifth and sixth. On the seventh however, the boy finally crept inside her grand house. His blue eyes glanced around, wild and fearful like a cautious animal.

She paid it no mind as she tugged his stained hand along, with all the innocence and goodwill of a child. Leading him to her studio, she bossily instructed him to sit, before making her way over to an easel. She painted his likeness on her canvas while scrunching her nose and biting her lip in concentration, something the boy watched with interest. Finally she presented the finished picture with a flourish, grinning.

His shoulders dropped in disappointment. His image had been painted using murky, dreary colours, all except his eyes, which were two shining blobs of blue.

"Would you like a bath? And maybe some new clothes?" She offered, seeing his sour expression. He nodded without taking his eyes off the picture.

She took his hand, about to lead him from the room when a sharp voice called her name. The girl froze, and turned to see her father in the doorway.

"Who is this boy?" He asked sternly, eyes sweeping distastefully over the street urchin.

She bristled, and quickly explained the situation, punctuating each word with pleading looks. In the end, she begged the boy to stay, but her father stood grim and quiet.

"He may have a bath and a change of clothes, that is the extent of it." He said calmly.

She felt tears well in her eyes, but nodded silently.

The boy was given a bath, and supplied with a second-hand pair of clothes that had previously belonged to one of the cook's children. All the while, the boy wasn't certain how to repay them. Yet when he stepped into the room once more, dressed in pale green, new clothes, the gold of his hair shining bright, his pale skin wiped clean, and his magnificent blue eyes staring up at them, he was struck by their expressions.

They were in awe of him.

New words began to be spoken. Things like _beautiful, handsome_. The cook wished her own children looked as marvellous as he did.

Even the girl looked at him with new eyes. She stared, until a redness crept into her cheeks and she glanced away.

The boy was accepted into the household as a servant after that.

From then on, whenever he needed something from her, the boy would let her paint his picture as payment. It delighted her to paint him, just as it delighted him to see his image filled with such rich, beautiful colours.

* * *

"Come on, come on! Hurry up! I haven't got all day!" Kou called to her, grinning playfully as he flopped down onto a chaise lounge.

"Kou. Give me a minute! I need to make the right hint of gold to highlight your hair. I've got it this time, I know it." The artist wiped her hands thoughtlessly on her apron, tucking loose threads of hair behind her ear and staining her cheek yellow. She squinted critically at the array of paints in-front of her.

His expression soured. "Humph. You've been working non stop for hours. Keep it up and I really will have to brand you a masochist~"

She flushed scarlet as Kou grinned to himself, stretching his long legs out. "What did you think I was when we first met, again? Oh yeah, a kitty. Maybe I should call you 'Masochistic Kitten' instead. It's kinda fitting." He snickered.

"Unless you want me to paint you with a big nose again, Kou, I suggest you hold your tongue."

Kou pouted but complied when she bid him to rise and stand on a platform. The artist took a moment to look at him, briefly acknowledging how much he'd grown from that meek little boy from her childhood, and into the young man that stood before her now. His hair was like spun gold, mischievous eyes blue, and striking.

Unexpectedly, doorbell rang. A butler entered the room soon after, announcing: "Sir Karl Heinz, madam."

The artist quickly set her brush down. "Stay there, Kou!" She called, running from the room towards the entrance.

"But-" his complaint was cut short as she left, and he sighed, smiling slightly.

Karl Heinz was an influential figure among aristocracy. He had a way of flitting in and out of different social circles, yet had such an amiable disposition he never seemed out of place. That was how he'd come to be such good friends with her father. The artist had enough money to put her works on display, but wanted to earn her place among established artists. At age 18, she felt herself more than ready to do so. So she'd invited him over for his opinion and input.

Karl met her in the lobby with a bow as she curtsied. "Thank you so much for meeting with me today."

"Not at all. I've heard good things about your work, not just from your father." Karl spoke with a rich, enticing voice that never failed to draw one's attention.

Smiling bashfully, the artist was about to show him her work in her study, before she stopped and remembered Kou. "If you'll excuse me for just a moment, I forgot something in the next room."

Karl inclined his head politely, and stepped forward. "It is no trouble, I will accompany you."

She felt mild surprise but conceded, ushering him into the room.

"Finally! Do you have any idea how hard it is to stand here-" Kou cut himself off as a prestigious looking man entered along with her, and he clicked his mouth shut, bowing. "Ah, sorry. I didn't know you were following, sir."

"Not at all. Youthful proclamations such as yours are always amusing to these tired ears." Karl smiled.

Kou nodded, awed into silence at the older gentleman's commanding presence.

"Kou was just in the middle of sitting for a picture when you arrived." She clarified, wondering at the assessing look in Karl's eyes. He nodded and requested that she carry on, regardless of his presence. She did so, wishing she could pay attention to their conversation, but unfortunately whenever she painted, she lost herself in work. Kou sometimes had to throw small objects in her direction to gain her attention again. So, as she painted, she drowned out the compliments and flattery that rolled off Karl's tongue. She didn't see Kou laugh it off, before he began to pay attention to the older man's words.

"Youth is so fleeting." Karl was saying. "As you are now, you have the world at your feet. You've been blessed with beauty and fortune after being taken into a good home. Why do you hide such a face away in here? It should be out in the world, breaking hearts." He said amiably.

Kou's brows drew together briefly, before his gaze slid to the busy artist. Karl laughed, the rich cadence of his voice echoing into Kou's heart, unsettling him.

"She will always be here in this studio." He said, making a gesture in the air as if it were unimportant. Kou's lips thinned. Well...he was right to an extent, she didn't travel much.

The artist raised her head after awhile, permitting them to leave for a respite, saying that she just needed to work on the finishing touches. Kou showed Karl out to the garden, where the sunlight made his hair shine with strands of gold.

Karl carried on. "You know that she will remain here, unchanging except for the age that will inevitably stiffen her fingers. You could always come back to her. As she works, you could be out there in the world. You could tame it, make it yours. I have every confidence in that."

Kou blinks, he'd thought about something similar before, as he'd been feeling restless lately, but...

"This place kind of gave me everything. I don't know if I want the world, but...I guess a title for myself would be nice." He says, considering. He didn't want to stay her servant forever. Even if...he remained a servant and something happened between him and his artist, there wouldn't be any point. He couldn't offer a thing.

Karl immediately switched gears. "Beauty can open doors previously shut. Many consider it the greatest worth one can have, such as with china, priceless jewels and one of a kind art pieces. Allow me to help you. I can introduce you to society, and we can utilise that face of yours to reach your goal."

Kou thought of the look of utter amazement and admiration he'd gained when first emerging in fine clothes, spotless of grime, so many years ago. Since then, he'd considered his worth tied with his beauty. Didn't his artist think so as well? She always painted his likeness but it wasn't because she liked _him_.

Had he been ugly, her father would never have accepted him. He got away with so much around the house even though he was a servant because of his looks.

Karl watched the change in the young man's face intently. The lad had an innocence that he'd never possessed, and was impressionable, a clean slate. Like that of a blank canvas. Karl had a vague curiosity in seeing how far such a gleaming frame could take the blank painting, before it became sordid with fame.

* * *

"There." She said, writing her signature in vermilion green in the right hand corner.

Karl stepped up to her side, admiring her work. "Splendid. You've captured him perfectly, down to the last detail."

She smiled awkwardly at the praise, waiting for Kou's assessment. However, he stood frozen, staring at the painting fixedly. The picture was truly him. It looked more real and vibrant than any other she'd created, as if life had been breathed into it. And yet...he couldn't congratulate her for it. The painting looked back at him mockingly with his own innocent face. It was like a personification of everything Karl Heinz had been telling him just moments before. This was his youth, his beauty, his worth, staring at him with bright eyes. He could see it now; years down the line this damn picture would mock him as he stood before it aged. This was him at his most perfect. From every moment onwards, he would slowly decline in value, dying insidiously.

"It's awful." He muttered.

The artist snapped her gaze to his. Never had she heard Kou speak so coldly.

Sensing her gaze, Kou shook his head. "Not the work, it's great. I mean the...pain in the ass of time. It's not fair." He grit his teeth, blood pumping quicker in his veins as something took hold of him. "It's not fair!" The words burst from him in a shout. "Why do I have to wither and age, while this Kou gets to stay young? I feel like it's laughing at me." He growled.

The artist touched his hand, which had balled up into a fist. Her brows knitted. "Kou. I didn't paint it to laugh at you. If it hurts you that much, I can destroy this one and start again."

"Wha-no! You painted this thing for hours. It just..." He quieted. "It just makes me heartsick or something. Makes me wish it were different...that this painting would be the one to age, while I got to stay the same. Imagine how great it would be." Kou said in a soft murmur, gazing at the thing so intensely it made a chill run down her spine.

Karl Heinz laughed, breaking the heavy atmosphere. "What nonsense youth speaks. But I can't fault your idealism, Kou. As for the painting, I think it will do wonderfully when you decide to display it."

"Oh I'm not auctioning or displaying this one, sir." She murmured, before turning to Kou. "This is yours, Kou. I painted it as a thank you for everything so far. " She smiled weakly, sad that he disliked it.

"Ha? Mine?" He blinked.

"Yes. You can do what you like with it, but if you ever sell it, I won't ever forgive you." She sniffed, smile becoming more playful.

Kou glanced at the painting, trying to shake his hatred of it. "So you're happy with me destroying it, but not selling it? Hehe, you're a weird one, Masochistic Ki- Ouch!" He broke off as she poked him hard in the ribs, conscious of their company, before she brushed the wet paintbrush over his cheek, oblivious to Karl's smile.

A few days later, when Karl invited Kou to one of his lunch-meets, the artist thought little of it. Kou readily accepted.

* * *

Over the following weeks, she saw very little of Kou. Despite his status as her servant, she'd never really thought of him as such, and thus allowed him to do as he pleased. She kept hearing idle gossip throughout the house that he'd been seen in various luxurious establishments with Karl Heinz and other big name aristocrats for dinner parties. Thinking that her friend deserved such attention and goodwill, she could only be happy for him.

However, as she sat in her empty studio, a twinge of something foreign niggled at her. Was this...loneliness? She'd never felt it before. She'd always had him around to talk with. Funny that she'd fought for peace and quiet, yet now that she had it, she longed for him to pester her again.

Hearing the front door, she couldn't stop herself from rising quickly, smoothing out her steps into a more blase pace as she walked.

"Oh, Kou. Back already?" She asked, leaning against the door-frame to the lobby as he took of his coat. His new, expensive looking coat, she noted.

"Ah! Hello Maso-kitty." He beamed, before tilting his head. "Could it be that you were waiting for me~?"

She folded her arms and scoffed. She'd meant it playfully, but felt herself stiffen slightly when Kou stared at her soberly and seemed to take her reaction at face value. Odd, Kou usually knew her so well.

"Well, never mind, can you do me a favour and help me with these clothes?" He asked, gesturing to his fine clothes. She followed him to his room and helped him with them, not embarrassed in the least about tugging his shirt loose. She'd fixed his clothes many times for grand events when he'd acted as her servant, this wasn't much different.

Kou smiled jadedly. "Do you even think of me as a man?" He mutters as she worked on undoing his buttons.

She stilled and looked at him in surprise. "P-pardon?"

"Ah, it was nothing. I was just reciting a line from a play I saw." He waved his hand dismissively.

The artist's lips thinned. "I'm guessing you saw that play with Karl Heinz." She says, jealousy colouring her voice.

Kou shrugs and steps away, taking off his jacket, followed by his shirt and searching through his wardrobe. Instead of plain clothes befitting a servant like she was expecting, he took out yet another grand set. "He's interesting. What he says makes allot of sense to me, plus he's been helping me towards my goal. I'm not quite there yet, but I will be." He murmurs, slipping the new shirt on.

"What kind of things does he say?"

Kou hummed. "Ahh just stuff to do with; Beauty, time, and making the most of it to experience as much as you can!" He chirped.

She waited numbly, her fingers frozen as she swallowed. Oddly, it felt like she was losing him. "I see. Are you...going out again, Kou?"

He lifts a shoulder. "Sure. I've got what I came for."

Wondering what he meant by that, the artist floundered. Her heart swayed and ached with things to say, before he uttered a few more words that had it clenching. "Actually...I was thinking about handing in my resignation."

She blinked, tensing. "Kou. You know I've never considered you as my serv-"

"That's funny, because I still remember fetching things for you and your father, and doing chores. Very... servanty." Kou interrupted, fixing his appearance in the mirror, though there was nothing to fix. When he noticed her downtrodden expression, he softened. "I'm really grateful for everything you've done, Masochistic Kitten. Don't think I'm not! It's just..."

"No, don't explain. I understand. " She smiled despite her pain. Kou would be leaving. He needed to become his own person. She hesitated, but couldn't stop herself from walking over to him and hugging him tight around his middle. Kou stiffened at this, inadvertently inhaling the scent of her hair. His arms slid around her waist slowly, pale fingers clenching slightly in the fabric of her dress.

"Whatever this goal is that you need to reach, good luck with it. And write to me, or I'll be cross." She murmured, squeezing tight, before pulling away. Turning on her heel, she rushed out of the room.

Kou watched her leave with an unreadable expression. An image of a blue sky flashed in his mind. She'd know one day what that goal was. It didn't matter how he obtained his desire, so long as he did. As Kou turned, meaning to leave, he stopped at the sight of his painting, hidden away in the corner of the room. He caught his double's eye, and frowned.

For some reason, the lips seemed to have turned up slightly at the edges. Now, the smile looked slightly self-satisfied instead of youthful.

Kou shook his head, telling himself he was seeing things, and left the room.

* * *

He wiped at a red mark on his neck with a handkerchief, smudging the imprint of lips before removing it completely. Kou remembered Karl's words. 'The Duchess had just been excited, that was all.'

Women had taken to doing that allot. Kissing him, touching him. He'd been confused by it at first, but Karl said it was natural. He was beautiful after all. Aristocrats especially, loved beautiful things and liked to touch them.

So, Kou shrugged it off, and got drunk on the attention lavished upon him. It had become expected over the past five months for everyone to compliment him, seek him in conversation. He'd gotten so many invitations to go hunting with Barons, or dine with people in polite society. He didn't even need Karl Heinz at his side anymore, offering advice, Kou knew how to talk to them.

Still, he hadn't lost sight of his goal to gain a fortune, and soon he became a presence on the stage.

He hadn't even needed to work his way in, he'd been accepted right away at a grand establishment, that of an opera house. The suddenness of it made Kou question whether he really had talent singing, but Karl assured him it didn't matter. If they were paying just to see his pretty face, what difference did it make?

 _If their payment is to see me...then mine is their wealth. That sounds fair._

The aristocrats around him parroted the phrase; 'You can't gain something, without giving in return.' It was a surprising sentiment from their kind, but it made Kou relax around them. The philosophy made sense to him.

At that moment, a voice was ringing out into the opera house. The audience watched the young man on stage with rapture, their eyes pinned on him, absorbing every movement. Kou sang softer, glancing at the faces assembled. He'd become used to the sensation of eyes following him, and instead of feeling daunted, his voice became stronger, charisma making his song feel personal to every listener.

When he stopped, a thunderous applause greeted him. Kou grinned and bowed. After straightening, he winked at one of the girls, who blushed.

After the performance, Kou sank into his chair in his dressing room with a sigh. "Whew." He dabbed a napkin against his brow. An open letter on his desk caught his eye, and it he knew it was from his artist.

His hand reached for a piece of parchment, meaning to write a reply. He'd been so swept off his feet lately that he hadn't gotten a chance to.

"Another wonderful performance, Kou!"

He looked up at the mirror before him and automatically smiled. "Thanks!~"

The owner of the opera house greeted him with ruby red lips tilted up. She edged closer, the heavy coat wrapped around her brushing the floor. She took a seat next to him and smiled amiably. "It's good to see you thriving." Her cultured voice praised as she adjusts her coat, the fur lining her collar parting to reveal her collarbone, and more still, exposing her cleavage. Kou blinked and snapped his eyes to her face, blushing slightly.

"Aha, well I'm really grateful you took me on." He chirped, glancing back at the letter.

Kou stopped when something touched his knee. Blue eyes met glittering green. "I just knew that you'd be a success. You've really blossomed on stage. Now that you've gotten what you wanted, you must be pleased."

Kou hesitated. Was he pleased? No...it still wasn't enough. He needed more. More money. More titles. Was Opera Singer really any better than Servant or Street Urchin?

Her hand distracted him as it slid down his thigh. The woman leaned in close, perfume making his senses hazy. "So, you know the saying, honey?" She murmured into his ear.

His spine tingled as he tensed. He remembered Karl Heinz's words, and repeated them softly."...You can't gain something without giving in return."

"That's right honey. I was generous, accepting you so quickly into this place. Now...be a dear, and be generous with me, alright?" Those ruby lips curved up in satisfaction, the coat falling from her shoulders as she stood, running a hand through his hair. Kou dimly noticed the gold band on her finger.

Her lips pressed to his a moment later.

* * *

 _Two Years Later_

More hands had touched him now, and instead of shying away, Kou accepted it. In return, he had more wealth than ever before, and had even bought himself an impressive sized house.

Still...the painting unnerved him. His once pristine image was starting to...decline.

The fine clothes he'd been dressed in on that day seemed dirtier, sullied as seams of fabric had split and torn in various places. Once golden hair now looked thin, and had lost it's lustre. Most prevalent of all was an imprint of lipstick on his collar that stood out so starkly against the white it looked like blood. Even his double's expression had changed. Those satisfied lips were now joined by eyes that seemed to be looking down on the viewer, rather than straight at them. Vanity was etched keenly into his features.

Kou jumped at the sound of the door knocker being rapped. He quickly threw a cover over the painting, as he'd been prone to doing these days, and returned it to the little cupboard under the stairs.

He answered the door and felt his heart tighten for a moment, before he dismissed it and smiled. "Maso-Kitty!"

The artist returned his smile, but thought his own a little...off. She couldn't exactly explain it, but her childhood friend felt much changed to her. Nonetheless, she took his offered arm when he shut the door and began to walk with her. Both of their hearts acknowledged the things constantly left unsaid between them. As ever, their lips refused to part. Secrets and desires locked tight behind their teeth.

* * *

 _Four Years Later_

A girl had died.

She'd become infatuated with him as he'd sang, and he may have led her on. Perhaps he'd even whispered honeyed words, invited her back to his mansion, enraptured by her expression as he eventually snatched all the promises away in one go. It had been her fault after all. She'd only loved him for his face. He'd loved hers the moment misery, disbelief and pain washed out her expression. She'd been such a spoiled brat too.

"That's right...it should be an equal exchange. Anyone blessed with my presence should pay me something in return. It's only fair." He'd breathed shakily to himself after hearing the news of her suicide.

Kou stared at the painting, blood red stains on it's hands now. His image exuded cruelty.

"S-shut up! Everyone loves me! You...you're the one that's shriveling up like a worm. Heh, looks like I'll outlast you after all."

Kou gave a shaky grin, staring directly into those jaded eyes. His stomach buckled sharply suddenly, and Kou fell to his knees, retching. His loud breathing and obscene, gasping sounds burst through the room of the attic.

"Hah...gn...hah.. _no_." He gritted out, wiping vomit from his pale mouth. "I don't...I don't want it anymore. Why did I even wish for this? I can't...I don't remember." His mouth moved senselessly.

Kou forced himself to stand and staggered over to a mirror. His pale reflection stared back, beautiful even in ivory tones. His expression darkened, lips thinning and pressing into a grim line as a violent shudder wrecked his frame.

Kou grabbed a fork from a nearby table.

Eyes slanted up to the mirror again, and then past his reflection to the painting watching mockingly behind him. "Fuck you. Don't...piss me off. If they want me to be perfect then-then I'll just have to disappoint them." He breathed with a thin, airy voice. Blue eyes shook with a depthless terror.

His hand tremored as it gripped the fork tight. Kou then minded his bangs away from the right side of his face with trembling fingers, sweat running down his brow. But his aim was true. With one sharp thrust towards his eye, his mansion was filled with agonised screams.

* * *

 _Six years later_

It had been such a long time since she'd seen him last. At least a year. They'd kept in touch via letters, but even they had become sparse. She'd focused her mind on other things, travelled to many countries for art exhibitions. Her work was now displayed in various places, reaching a wide audience.

At that moment though, she waited in the lobby of Kou's luxurious mansion. The butler had explained that the Master of the house was out at the moment, but she was welcome to wait in the living room. The artist had accepted, but she waited anxiously and left her seat, now staring at the front door. She pulled out a pocket mirror, since oddly she hadn't been able to find a single one in the living room or lobby. Catching sight of her reflection, she tucked some hair behind her ear, noticing another grey hair. How annoying, she wasn't that old at 30. Starting at the sound of the door, she turned to see Kou enter, who blinked at the sight of her, before smiling evenly.

"Ah! Masochistic Kitten! You're back from Berlin early." He grinned, setting his things aside and taking off his coat.

She smiled, heart clenching slightly for what she had to do. Walking up to him, she took his hand in both of hers, which he raised a brow at.

"I've missed you, Kou. But...I came here out of deep concern. Let's go talk, alright?"

He frowned in confusion, but slowly nodded, ushering her to the living room. He ordered for the butler, who brought them fine red wine. Kou leaned back in his armchair with a glass and grinned. "Ahh, so what's new? I hear that you've been doing great overseas." He grinned.

Her lips thinned. She knew that tactic well. He always tried to avoid serious conversation, that much hadn't changed. "Kou...enough. I'm worried about you."

Kou glanced at her in confusion. "Eh? Why worry now, of all times? I'm doing better than ever."

"Maybe you are...but the people who come into contact with you certainly aren't." Her hands thread in her lap, eyes downcast.

"Better explain what you mean by that." His tone remained unaffected, but it felt as if something lurked underneath it, coiled and tense.

She shook her head miserably, glancing up at him. "I...I can't keep my silence any longer. I've heard things, like about your friendship with Mr. Campbell. You were wonderful friends, seen at every gathering together, until suddenly you just stopped talking to each other. His family fell into ruin. H-he drank himself to death."

Kou frowned and scoffed. "You're pinning a coincidence like that on me?"

"I am when this kind of thing has happened over and over! Sibyl Vane, who was rumoured to be infatuated with you, she...she killed herself when you rejected her. But there's more to it than just that, like I heard you were actually engaged to her, and toyed with her feelings. Countless marriages have been ruined. Aristocrats I know have become bankrupt. Anyone who involves themselves with you becomes miserable!" She yelled, getting to her feet.

He suddenly stood up, drawing very close to her, with a cruel look she didn't recognise. It didn't belong there, not on a face so beautiful. "Does that include you, _spinster_?"

She flinched, drawing her hand back and slapping him hard across the face. Kou blinked as his face was struck to the side. His cheek blazed with a harsh sting.

The artist breathed erratically, hot tears pricking her eyes. "I don't...I don't even know who you are anymore. You didn't even come to Father's funeral. W-what happened to you?" Her voice wobbled, heart shaking in her chest.

Everything lapsed into silence for several moments, only broken by her breathing starting to calm, becoming quieter. Kou's empty gaze changed into one that was sightly considering, filled with dark secrets. "Do you want to know, Masochistic Kitten? Come on...I'll show you, and only you."

* * *

He led the artist up to the attic. Unlocking the door, he walked inside, and closed it behind her. She met his eyes and felt cautious for the first time in his company. Oddly...she felt like a stranger in his presence.

Kou walked over to something hanging on the wall, but it was covered by a drape. He then looked straight at her, wanting to drink in her expression as the cover was pulled free.

Her breath shuddered, before her hand smothered the gasp that escaped her lips. Revolution pulsed, her stomach lurching at the sight. "What... _is_ this, Kou?"

"Don't you recognise it, Masochistic Kitten? Heh, it's your pretty painting of me. Only, I guess it's changed a little." His cheerful act fell away, to reveal a jaded, warped gaze as he considered the painting dully. "I guess you could say this piece has more of me in it, than I have in myself."

The air rushed out of her lungs, and she silently shook her head in horror, staring at the decrepit thing. Yet when she looked at Kou again, she started at the sight of his left eye, which glowed red.

"No. This isn't the painting I made, it-it's so-" she swallowed thickly, tasting bile. The person in the frame was hideous, malevolent and cold.

Kou clamped his hands on her shoulders from behind, she didn't know when he'd moved- forcing her closer to the painting. She struggled, wanting to be far away from the awful sight. Kou grabbed her chin firmly, almost painfully, and turned her face to look at the image. "Don't you see it though? Your signature?" He breathed in a sadistic rush.

She stilled as vermilion green letters catch her eye. "Oh, Kou." She choked. "H-how?" It was the only thing she could grit out.

"I guess I got my wish. My looks don't seem to alter. Haven't you noticed?" He tilted his head, blond locks sliding over the side of his face.

Unable to bare it, the artist wrenched herself free from his grip, but firm hands pinned her against the wall, right next to where the painting hung. She stared at him with wide eyes, and suddenly it hit her. After all the time that had passed, he didn't look any older than 18.

"You haven't...aged." She murmurs dazedly, thinking of the grey hairs she'd discovered in her own hair. Why hadn't she noticed it before? The more she looked at him, the more wrong his image seemed. It was flawless. Too much so. It felt unnerving.

And yet, her hands came up to frame his face delicately, caressing his hair and skin softly. Kou started at her touch, staring at her. "You find it disgusting, don't you?" He muttered.

"I just...don't understand it. But...I want to help you Kou. Y-you know, like before?" She gave a strained smile, eyes welling with tears.

If he'd had feelings like guilt, Kou might have collapsed from it right then. As it was...nostalgia clenched his jaded heart, and he slowly leaned in, the fight leaving him all at once. He rested his head on her shoulder, still holding her in place, and breathed out heavily.

A moment later, he leaned up, pressing his lips to hers. His tongue swept over her bottom lip, before prying it into her mouth. The artist squeaked when she felt him brush her tongue with his own, freezing from shock. Their chests met, bodies pressing close to each other.

Kou held her against the wall, and despite her surprise and confusion, the artist did not struggle. However, something weighed in the pit of her stomach. The weight only grew heavier as Kou leaned back to look at her, smiling jaggedly.

"You're happy, aren't you? Aren't you?" He breathed. "That's because...you love me, right?"

She shuddered as her corset was loosened and pulled free. "K-Kou, what are you doing? We don't...do this." She murmured, cheeks blazing. A part of her had longed for it, some time ago. But her body blazed alive under his touch. The feelings she'd suppressed came rushing back. All at once it was like they were teenagers again.

She started as he tugged a little too harshly at the fabric, exposing her shoulders.

"That's good...such a frightened expression looks so cute on you." Kou smiled, sweeping a hand through her hair, tugging at the stands to yank her closer. Making a small sound, she grit her teeth. His breath fanned over her neck, kissing the skin hungrily, needy hands smoothing over her body. "Why...why did I wait so long to do this? I should have had you from the start." He muttered, almost to himself. Her eyes widened slightly.

They stumbled in a tangle of limbs to the floor, Kou landing atop her. His hands wandered and cupped her breasts, massaging the flesh. The artist trembled, releasing a small protest.

"Heh, don't be silly. You should be thanking me...after all, you're being touched by me. It's natural to be pleased. Everyone is always happy when I touch or look at them. You have the same enchantment in your eyes."

Skirts ripped and discarded, she fell unresisting into his hands as he slid two fingers inside her entrance.

He chuckled breathlessly. "You're so wet. Look how it sticks to my fingers. Hehe."

Shuddering, she writhed and panted quietly as his fingers circled maddeningly inside her. "You're so easy to read...this eye of mine sees everything inside your heart. Ah, and what's this?" Kou leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "My face is the only thing that resides there." His single red eye peeked out from behind his bangs, glowing eerily in the dark.

She reached for him daringly and smoothed his bangs aside. "K-kou. Why is your eye a different color? You never explained..."

Kou smiled thinly and reached up with his free hand, even as his fingers thrust harder inside her. She gasped and paled as he touched his right eye. Taking it out, he revealed it to be made of glass.

He smiled at her reaction, the blank socket staring back at her. "I tried not to be pretty anymore." He said, circling his fingers in her sex until they were totally soaked. "It didn't work. In fact...people liked the imperfect beauty more."

As he took off his shirt and discarded it, her breath caught at the marks on his body. His back held the most damage. Long, harsh rivets scarred his skin. Kou tilted his head and lifted a shoulder.

"They wanted more entertainment, so they gave me more imperfections. It pleased them. Hmm, let's not think about it anymore~" He said and finally frees his erection, which had been straining against his clothes, he sinks inside her with a single thrust that has her back arching. She cried out, eyes wide from the feeling.

"Gn! Ah...no way, somehow, you feel amazing." He panted, grinning and beginning to move his hips against hers, sliding inside her wet folds.

Unable to keep herself from moaning, she desperately tried to censor the sounds by putting the back of her hand over her mouth.

"Stop that! Don't even think about hiding your voice." He suddenly growled, teeth flashing. She shuddered, frowning, and obeyed, her eyes darting away from his face. "Don't look away either. Tch, you're pissing me off. Are you behaving badly because you want to be tormented by me?" Kou hissed.

The artist jumped and made a small sound as he bit her neck, sucking the flesh harshly and leaving a hickey.

"K-kou!" She gasped.

"Aha, the more you're tormented, the more tightly you grip me. I think you're getting wetter too. Guess you really are a Masochistic Kitten. Be a good kitty and cry for me. Louder..."

She moaned and grit her teeth, nails biting into his shoulders as her cheeks flamed redder. Kou bid his hips to move faster, until he pinned hers to the floor and rutted against her hard and fast, panting wildly.

The artist cried out when the painfully tight ache within her loosened, and blinding pleasure ignited her. Consumed with the feeling, she dazedly held onto Kou as he groaned and bucked his hips some more. His pace became erratic, before he finally released, gasping loudly into her neck.

Silence descended, only broken by quiet panting. They lay entwined for a few moments, lips inches apart and breath mingling. After glimpsing the darkness she knew to be inside him, the artist started when his hand cupped her cheek almost reverently. "Why did...we drift apart?" He murmured.

Her eyes misted over with hot tears. They silently escaped, rolling down her cheeks.

* * *

Kou sat up some hours later, the bed-covers pooling at his waist. He looked down at the woman beside him and watched her with tired eyes. How far away it all seemed...those days spent with her. Kou sighed and left the bed.

Surely, he thought, the painting looked a little better now. _I made her happy. So in exchange...my soul is a little purer. It's only fair._

He made his way up the long flight of stairs, and further still to the attic.

Yet the moment his eyes fell on it, Kou shrank back. A noise was ripped from his lips, rising high like a wail as he trembled.

The painting looked even uglier than before. Now pride and smugness marred those cruel, thin lips, still tilted up in what had become a mockery of a warm smile.

 _"Why..."_

Horror gave way to anger, curling his hands into tight fists. "WHY? I was selfless! I gave her what she'd been seeking all along! Don't laugh at me!" Kou yelled, the sound of his voice bouncing off the walls.

The painting stared back with knowing, jaded eyes. Kou breathed heavily, shaking. What if...what if he hadn't been selfless? Had she even...wanted him?

In his heart, he knew physical intimacy and love wasn't enough to absolve him. His breathing escalated. No. No, it wasn't fair! Where was his equal exchange?

Kou shuddered with rage and grabbed the painting off the wall. His lips thinned, eyes narrowing. He'd get his equal exchange, just not with her.

* * *

Mild confusion had spread throughout the upper class when they'd heard news that Kou was holding an exhibition. This confusion had doubled when it was announced as a closed exhibition, only invited guests being able to attend.

The owner of the opera house huffed. "I didn't even know dear Kou could paint. This is unexpected."

Karl Heinz glanced around, noting the high windows, closed room and single exit behind them. He then took notice of the guests assembled, primarily consisting of aristocrats who knew Kou well.

He drew back and stepped towards the exit. "Yes, please excuse me. I've just remembered a previous engagement." Karl then walked outside, standing some distance away, and watched as the doors slid shut.

Wine glasses were passed around inside, filled with expensive red wine. Kou walked out in front of them on an elevated platform, something hanging behind him on the wall. "Hello everyone!~ Thanks for coming! It's great to see you all." He beamed.

The guests assembled laugh. Their sharp eyes appraised him all over again, like admiring a cut of meat. Some had branded that fair skin, others had left love bites. All in the name of entertainment.

"Cheers everyone!" Kou said, raising his glass. They echoed this with a hearty cheer and downed their glasses.

Their laughter and chatter soon descended into stunned, horrified silence when Kou went on to reveal his single painting on display. He drank in their expressions with a wide, empty smile.

Gasps and cries of horror rang out when the first aristocrat fell, followed by the second. Glass shattered. Wine spilled as the people choked, frothing at the mouth. A red substance leaked out from between their teeth. Kou watched with dead eyes as they began to fall, holding his own wine glass and looking calmly at the red substance that reflected his image. "Looks like…I can't obtain that blue sky, after all…"

He'd remembered his goal, that of a life somewhere with his artist, under a blue sky. But the people before him had ruined that. Ruined him. So, he was giving them their equal exchange, and his.

A man, who Kou recognised as a Viscount, staggered towards him, rage clashing with terror in his eyes as he realised the culprit behind the disaster. He brandished a knife, coughing harshly. "You twisted, vile-"

Kou ducked out of the way, staggering. The man swung down the knife, swiping into the painting instead.

Outside, his artist ran straight for the doors, passing Karl Heinz on the street. Kou had left her a strange letter, and after hearing about the exhibition and thinking about his scars, she'd headed straight there. Bursting in through the doors, she froze at the sight of the fallen bodies.

A strangled noise escaped her throat. Her knees buckled, head bowing. " _Kou…_ "

Up on the platform, the image on the torn painting showed that of a handsome, young man, returned to splendour.

Not a trace was left of Kou, except that of a red glass eye.


	10. Subaru Sakamaki

Chapter 10 ~ Subaru Sakamaki

Warnings: Smut

AN: This will be combining two fairy tales, just for something different. ^^

Thank you everyone who commented and stuck with the story, I'm sorry it took a little while to complete. This chapter follows on from Ayato's chapter and yes, all the Sakamaki's chapters are connected, but it's not necessary to read Ayato's to understand this one. You can decide your own timeline if you dislike mine, but I basically worked it out to be - Start: Laito - Kanato - Reiji - Ayato - Subaru - Shuu - End.

Title translation is: A two step - the swan and the beast

* * *

 **Un pas de deux - La Cygne et la Bète**

 _When the third son, Ayato Sakamaki, took the crown, a murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowds. At his victory, a certain brother - the youngest, had lost his opportunity to provide for his mother. The White Rose remained uncured of her mental instability, and from his failure, she lost all hope of being restored to her former untainted glory._

 _After the coronation, the youngest Prince disappeared into the heart of the forest._

White fur brushed against leaves, a single snap of a twig signalling the creature's approach. Musty scents of a rabbit filled his nose, making his mouth salivate- jaws opening and spreading wide to reveal spittle coated teeth. Ears lay flat on his head, body slowly crouching down as prey was sighted. The forest lay completely silent around him as he remained still. Waiting...

A flurry of chaos broke out, but not from him. White feathers clouded his vision as swan burst from the bushes, making the creature's eyes fly wide. The rabbit fled, disturbed by the commotion. The swan disappeared through the foliage nosily, flapping it's wings.

Frustration welled up viciously fast inside him. A low growl escaped clenched teeth, before the creature took off running through the trees, pursuing the swan. He scented the lake nearby, and bid himself to move faster, running on four legs.

Branches and thistles of the surrounding greenery ripped into his face, but he hardly cared as he propelled himself forward, until the lake came into view. Smelling the swan just beneath him on the water, and uncaring of the depth of it, he jumped straight in from the bank.

Loud cries of surprise filled his ears as he snapped his jaws, biting down. He tasted feathers and felt the thin but strong bone of a wing under his teeth. If it wasn't for the need to kick his legs to keep afloat, he would've ripped the wing clean off. As it was, he was forced to let go. Water thrashed as the swan tried to fly away, but only succeeded in dragging itself over the surface of the lake.

He growled and swam after it, in hot pursuit of the swan as it's graceless form swam into a disk of moonlight on the surface of the water. Red eyes widened as a harsh light suddenly burst forth from the swans body, blinding the creature and forcing his eyes closed.

When the light died down, his eyes peeled reluctantly open as he tread water, starting at the sight before him.

A terrified woman stared back.

She clutched her bleeding arm to her as she kicked her legs, trying to stay afloat. Moonlight bathed her features in a soft glow, hair wet and curling in the water.

The two regarded each other in shocked silence. However, the woman's struggles to stay afloat became apparent as her head dipped under the surface, before rising again. She sputtered a few times and tried to swim, but sank under once more.

His eyes followed her form, hesitating a moment. When she didn't rise again, and bubbles floated to the surface, he plunged into the water after her. Through some difficult navigation, he was able to carry her partially on his back, her arms looped weakly around his neck. He could hear her breathing shallowly, her wet, trembling form pressing against him. The contact felt strange, foreign.

He sighed in relief when they reached the shore, and the woman let go, scrambling away from him a little.

"Why did- you save me?" She coughed, looking up at him warily.

Red eyes narrowed. He cleared his throat, as if forming the words in his head. "It's... not like I knew you were a human when I bit you. Tch..." His voice was tinged with hoarseness, like he hadn't spoken in some time.

Her eyes widened, having not expected him to be able to talk. "Is there...magic in you?" She breathed, clutching her bleeding arm a little tighter. Her underlying question was clear. She searched for signs of a curse silently.

Startled by how easily she'd come to that conclusion, he automatically frowned at her, not liking the vulnerability her question unearthed.

"You should worry more about that arm, idiot." He muttered gruffly, drawing himself up to stand on four legs.

He bristled at the way she looked at him, as if figuring out which parts of him looked human. His appearance at first glance was that of a large wolf, but upon closer inspection one would see his 'paws' were more like claw tipped hands. His hind legs were capable of letting him stand upright, and his upper body resembled something of a mans. Feathers were also mixed in with that of his coarse white fur, giving him all round a very odd appearance. He wore no clothes, as they'd long since been ripped to shreds from his time spent in the forest, and his eyes- at first glance, looked inhuman from their shade of red. Lastly though, and what the woman seemed most fixated on, were his jaws. He had the slight muzzle of a wolfs, and though shorter, his teeth were no less deadly sharp.

He glanced down at her shivering form, her soaked white dress clinging to her and leaving little to the imagination. He tsked and started to walk away from the lake.

"Wait, please!" She called after him. "That castle over there...it's the Sakamaki's isn't it? Do you think they would help patch up my arm?" Her shaking finger pointed to the castle not too far from the lake, overlooking the forest surrounding them. The telltale hesitance in her voice showed that she knew the reputation of the residents, especially the new King.

"How should I know?" He muttered, padding away from her and shaking his fur in a very undignified way.

An hour later though, despite himself, he approached the castle, keeping to the shadows as he watched the side entrance. He smelled the gentle suggestion of her scent, and spotted flecks of blood on the ground. She must have been accepted inside after all.

Something twisted in him at the sight of the familiar castle, as it always did. It stood tall and imposing, but the past horrors inside it's walls were what kept him away. In particular, a lone tower drew his gaze and held it captive. The creature drew back from his hiding spot, turning away. It didn't matter what happened to the girl anyway.

After that, he believed that he would never lay eyes on the swan-woman again.

* * *

His jaws sank into hide and bone, tearing it aside in order to gorge himself on muscle and flesh. It bloodied his mouth, coating his tongue and teeth with the hot red substance. He happily busied himself with the carcass of the stag, his audience completely undetected.

The swan-woman watched, fear, disgust and horror curling in her stomach as she hid in the bushes. And yet...she understood such things were necessary in order to survive in the wild. As a swan, she could vaguely remember eating pondweed, insects and tadpoles. Wetting her lips once his appetite appeared to be sated, she stepped out from the bushes.

The creature tensed, looking at her sharply with blazing, feral eyes. She stilled, before steeling herself and murmuring;

"You're cursed too, aren't you?"

A distrust filled silence answered her question. She introduced herself, dropping the title of 'princess' in there. _Odette_ , he could call her. She curtsied politely, or at least, tried to. Her damaged left arm, wrapped in bandages, made movement difficult. The creature shifted warily from the body of the stag, his mouth still caked with blood.

"When I went to the castle, they treated my arm." She explained. "I spoke to one of the Princes there, Reiji. When I told him what had happened...he gave me your name."

A forced smile bent her lips at his narrowed gaze. "It's nice to meet you, Prince Subaru."

Between one moment and the next, a claw tipped hand met her collarbone. Her head hit the forest floor as he shoved her body down into the earth.

"Why'd you approach me again?" The words hissed out from bloodied teeth, inches away from her frozen face.

His body leaned over hers, pinning her down to the ground heavily. Her stomach churned from his hot breath, her hand drawing into a fist at her side as fight or flight kicked in. She automatically struggled, the instincts of the swan, _prey_ , bid her to flee.

His weight pressed her down harder, a fierce snarl shuddering into her ear. It made her eyes widen, body automatically stilling.

She looked up at him, stiff with fright. "Because...we're the same." She gritted out, trying to shove down her fear, though her trembling betrayed her.

A thunderous growl escaped him, rumbling from deep within his chest. It hissed out like curling smoke from his jaws. "We're nothing alike. Got that?"

He glared down at her, slightly surprised when she continued to speak, meeting his gaze with wet eyes.

"I-I don't know the circumstances for why you got cursed, Prince Reiji wouldn't say. But I got cursed by a Warlock..." she tried to ease him into conversation. His brother had mentioned that Subaru had sank into isolation, and from the looks of things, being alone wasn't helping. It frightened her to see a former Prince so wild. It wasn't his appearance that unsettled her either; his manner, body language, _everything_ nearly resembled that of a wild animals. It was as if he'd completely accepted his appearance to be his natural self.

"Hah? I ain't interested in your damn story!" He sneered. "Why'd you really approach me? I'm not gonna accept a shitty reason like us being alike."

"It's the truth! I'm just...I'm happy not to be alone." She revealed, feeling rotten for admitting it. "Sorry. I know that's awful. But, when I was in the castle...I felt like my heart was going to burst. I felt like a swan, even though I was human, trapped inside stone walls. Caged..." she trailed off, voice small. "Not to mention...Sakamaki castle is infamous for having cruel rulers. That's why I've stayed by the lake so long. It's more freeing being outside."

"...Tch." He glanced away, the weight on her chest easing away.

She slowly sat up into a sitting position when he drew back. Her heart continued to beat wildly in her chest, but the answers she sought loosened her tongue. "You felt that way too, didn't you, Prince Subaru? That's why you're out here in the woods instead of inside-"

Subaru snarled, rounding on her. "Just leave me alone! If you approach me again...I'll kill you." He glared, turning away again as he stood on all fours. "And drop the 'Prince' crap. I gave up that title a long time ago."

These were his parting words, as the former prince walked away from the clearing, leaving her alone.

* * *

She'd always found roses to be beautiful.

Since she'd arrived at the lake a week ago, the swan princess had found odd patches of them hidden in the bushes here and there. Their sweet scent drew her closer, like a moth to a flame. They were a source of comfort to her in this strange new land, filled with unknowns and a rogue former Prince. So it was that one night, after the moonlight had changed her feathers into skin once more, she was lured back to the castle.

She padded bare-foot around it's looming outer wall and stumbled upon a side entrance, which was laying open for anyone to wander into. She crept inside the castle grounds, feeling like she was intruding. Though they'd treated her wounds and were somewhat more decent than the rumours she'd heard, the Princes had seemed uninterested in her plight, much like Subaru.

The scent of roses filled her nostrils, distracting her. She was lured in further by their beauty, finding only pure white ones in the castle garden. She briefly wondered why, but it didn't stop her from reaching for one, wanting to touch it's soft looking petals.

"Don't touch it!"

A claw tipped hand closed over her own, and she started, looking up at blazing red. Subaru tugged her away from the roses, the feel of his calloused hand making the image of him gorging himself on the dead stag fade slightly. His touch felt warm and human even as he growled at her.

"You stay away from the roses. Got it? They ain't for you."

A brief flash of annoyance welled up inside her. "I know they're not mine, but you don't have to be so rough. I wasn't trying to pick them or anything."

"Tch...even touching them makes them dirty." He grumbled, gaze drawing up to the tower not too far away. When he realised that she'd followed his line of sight, and was now curiously regarding the tall, stone prison, he let her go quickly. "Just get outta here. Why are you even hanging around these parts?"

It was her turn to shrink away slightly, lips thinning. "...The lake near this castle is the only one that can transform me back into a human at night. The warlock who cursed me made it so...because here, I'm far from the one who can break my curse."

Subaru sneered. "Well if you know where that person is, then go to them. If they're so damn special, they'll know it's you even if you're a swan when you see em'."

The swan princess drew further away, holding her bandaged arm. It was then she realised that he was standing on two legs, looking more human. She blinked, and he drew himself down, muscles shifting to accommodate him. On all fours, his appearance looked...wrong. He'd become the twisted creature once more, that was neither man nor beast.

She was about to speak, when a scream reached her ears. It rang out loudly from the tower window, which only now did she notice had bars over it. The scream descended into hysterical sounds, and the princess felt a rush of air brush violently past her face. It was only then did she realise Subaru had ran away, melting into the shadows and safety of the forest. Her eyes shifted back to the lonely tower window, and her heart clenched at the sound of soft sobbing from within.

* * *

The White Rose sat on the window ledge, bathed in sunlight. Her dulled red eyes stared sightlessly at the bright outside world, barred to her. Fragments of her torn white hair lay in tatters around her 'room' though she didn't notice them. Vague memories came back to her, ebbing and flowing away like the tide. Just when she thought she'd grasped them, they fell through her fingers. But distantly, the image of a gentle boy with white hair came back to her. She was broken from her heavy thoughts by the flapping of large wings. A shadow darted past her window, before a flurry of white clouded her vision. Christa drew back, startled as the swan perched on her window on the other side of the bars.

It made a noise, but otherwise looked at her calmly, settling itself down. Christa blinked, carefully shifting closer, though the swan could do her no harm, barred from her.

"Hello..." she greeted softly. The swan looked at her curiously, and noticed the resemblance. How could she not? She knew it somehow instinctively...that the fragile, imprisoned woman was Prince Subaru's mother.

Christa hesitantly touched her feathers, her fingers pale, touch soft. Her timid, tense expression melted, and she smiled at the swan, reaching through the bars to stroke the swan's neck. The creature held still for her and was patient with the woman's timid hand. It was only when the sound of keys jangling in the lock did the swan draw away. Christa smiled tiredly.

"Thank you...please come back sometime." She murmured. The swan dropped away from her perch at the window, just as the door opened to reveal a servant with some food.

She soared down from the tower, looping around it a few times and then flying back to her usual haunt, touching down on the bank of the lake. She ruffled her features in the sunlight, and started when she heard the leaves rustle. Her webbed feet drew her back and large wings unfolded, sensing the threat before she saw it. Subaru padded out of the bushes, his lupine features standing out to her more, now that she was true prey.

But he didn't look angry with her, as per usual. In fact...his eyes only seemed worn, and searching.

"So...you saw her, huh?" He asked, voice a rasp of sound.

She couldn't reply as a swan, but folded her wings, looking at him silently. He sighed heavily, glancing away from her and looking at the lake. It almost seemed like he was less guarded with her as a swan, rather than when she were human.

"You probably...brought her more comfort in that single moment, than I ever have." He muttered, tone acidic. There was no jealously in it, just a hatred, that the swan was steadily realising was directed at himself. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but had to resign herself to settling down on the bank. Subaru remained with her mutely, and they watched the current of the waters, the light slowly dimming on the surface of the lake. When it was time for her to transform, the swan slipped onto the lake water, into the disk of waiting moonlight.

The princess soon breathed out into human lungs, but when she turned, treading water, only the empty bank greeted her.

* * *

She kept going back to visit his mother as a swan, and more often, when she left, Subaru become a silent presence at her side. He sat by the lake with her mutley, and always after transforming, the first thing she saw was his back as he walked away.

Finally, she could bare it no more, and shouted from the water, bathed in moonlight. "WAIT!" She yelled at the top of her voice.

He stilled, back turned to her. White fur shifted as muscle moved, and he turned to look at her. "What?" He grumbled.

She waded in from the water, heedless of the image she made. Wet clothes plastered to her skin, dress hitched up to reveal her thigh. She breathed out, trembling slightly from the cold as she frowned at him. "Stay." She breathed.

He frowned at her. "Ha? You orderin' me?" He uttered in a dark tone.

"No, of course not. It's just that...I want you to. Please stay and talk with me. Or it can just be like when I'm a swan. We don't have to speak. Just... _please_."

Subaru frowned deeper, ears twitching and flattening. He briefly inhaled, and her scent flooded his senses. Stifling it, he lifted a shoulder and dropped it. "...Tch. Fine, whatever. It's your fault if I end up hurting you."

She nodded eagerly, and the two settled into an awkward pattern. Their nights were composed of odd fragments of conversation, which she suspected were more from him being socially awkward, rather than him brushing her off.

"Why do you keep...doin' that weird posing shit?" Subaru grumbled one night.

She straightened her posture, standing a little ways away from him. "Ah...they're ballet poses." She admitted, cheeks heating slightly. "I used to practice all the time, but when I was sent here...I didn't exactly get to bring my shoes or tutu." She laughed softly.

Subaru tensed, eyes widening a touch at the sound. His gaze travelled over her, before fixing his attention firmly on the lake again.

Another night, she held a blanket around her shoulders, which had been waiting for her on the bank. She'd thanked him, but he'd just sneered at her, revealing sharp teeth. The princess had dropped the subject, but not without a smile.

"It's a pretty popular theory that all curses can be broken by true love." The swan princess grinned, looking at him as she made conversation.

Subaru snorted. "Sounds dumb. Like the whole thing's been romanticised." He glared daggers at the lake water as if it were personally responsible for spreading the misconception.

She lifted a shoulder. "Well, there's no harm in trying. My curse is a little different. I had to name who would break my curse right at the start. Name my champion, as it were. I chose Prince Siegfried."

Subaru's glare lessened, becoming pensive. "I've heard of him. Neighbourin' kingdom, right? What does he have to do?"

"Well, he has to proclaim his love to the world. You know, as an engagement announcement to me, or something like that."

"If it's that easy, why the hell hasn't he done it yet?" Subaru grumbled.

At this, the princess fell silent. She clasped her hands behind her and watched the moonlight on the lake, eyes unreadable. "He's just busy. I've known him for a long time. We've been set to marry since we were young. He can be a bit scatterbrained, a daydreamer. But he's a good man. He killed the warlock, Von Rothbart who cursed me...but the spell still didn't break."

"Why'd that bastard even curse you?"

The princess smiled, knowing she'd be thought of as one of the romantics he'd just sneered at. "I didn't love him, so I refused his offer of marriage. He didn't take the rejection well. When he died...I woke up here." She muttered, voice becoming quieter.

They lapsed into silence for a moment, both of them watching the lake before them. Subaru frowned. There were holes in her story, like why she hadn't tried to reach Siegfried in swan form if she couldn't transform anywhere else. But he didn't call her out on it. He hadn't revealed anything about his curse. He caught the faint sound of her sighing next to him, before she turned and forced a smile.

"Let's not dwell on that. What about you, anyway?"

Subaru's ears lay flat, his lip lifting in a warning sneer. "What about me?"

"You could always try to find a true love." She suggested gently.

His tail swished in agitation even as he laughed humorlessly. "That ain't gonna happen."

Setting her hands on her hips, she regarded him stubbernly. "Not with that attitude, it's not. You should try. I'll help you." She smiled encouragingly.

His hackles raised. "You're a damn busybody is what you are." He growled.

"I think I could be a pretty good match maker. What have you got to lose?"

"More like - what have I got to gain? Tch, no idiot would sign up for my crap, and I wouldn't want them to."

Her gaze gentled as her hands threaded in the comfort of the blanket. "...You don't give yourself enough credit." She muttered quietly.

"Just shut it, will you!" He snarled, standing up on all fours as his claws dug into the earth. "Just drop it! There's no point in breaking my curse anyway." Subaru turned, intent on leaving. "Nothing would change."

This time, she didn't stop him as he left. Guilt made her teeth tug at her bottom lip. Somehow, she got the impression he was punishing himself for something.

* * *

One night, instead of a dress waiting for her, as she'd found a few days prior, she stumbled across something which made her expression light up.

There, on the bank, lay a pair of pale pink ballet shoes.

She bent down and picked them up, stroking the ties gently. Gratitude swamped her, gentling her features. "You really...don't give yourself enough credit." The words escaped her softly.

After finding a flat expanse of earth with which to practice on, the swan princess excitedly tied the ribbons of her ballet shoes. It had been a month since she'd properly practised point work, and she'd missed it.

She straightened and felt a surge of nostalgia as she bent her knees and got a feel for the shoes. They'd need to be broken in before she could do more elegant dances. She rose up on her tip toes a few times, smiling slightly, before stretching. She then practised a simple set, manoeuvring around the parts that required a partner, though she felt it a shame there were no lifts. She spun gracefully, her hands crossed at the wrists near her waist, weaving a story with her actions that she unconsciously practised.

Leaves shifted almost silently as her spectator crouched low. Subaru blinked, unreadable features shifting slightly into something more humane. His eyes followed her figure as she jumped and rose high on her tip toes, raising her arms into the air and curving them. Her back arched, and his heart quickened, tracing the curves of her figure. Enraptured and simultaneously disgusted with himself, he breathed out, staying hidden for some time and just watching.

Her ankle gave without warning, sending her to the ground in a heap. Subaru's eyes widened just a touch when she picked herself up, not shaken in the least. A darker part of him recalled her fear that day with the stag, and how he'd enjoyed it. How he'd bathed in the scent of her terror. It was natural, he told himself. He was a beast after all, a twisted, _ugly_ thing. The way they were now, her bathed in moonlight, and him in shadow...those were the correct roles for them. His teeth clenched together, eyes narrowing as he thought to leave.

But something inexplicable had him bursting from the trees when she slipped again, heading for the water. His claw tipped paw- no- hand, latched around her wrist, pulling her back toward him.

Her eyes widened as she fell against him, surprise written across her features as he stood upright with her. His arm insidiously snaked around her waist to steady her. She tried to catch her breath, panting softly from the exertion of pushing herself too hard. "Th-thank you."

Subaru looked down at her, shifting his weight and seeming to realise their positions. He swallowed and cleared his throat, wondering why her eyes and red cheeks made him linger, before his own feet threatened to give unexpectedly, unused to standing upright.

"Ah! It's alright, I've got you." She exclaimed, holding his arms as their bodies swayed. She desperately fought to keep him upright.

"Dammit, let go! I don't stand like this anymore." Subaru growled, wanting to be back on all fours again. It was so much easier being that way, being a beast. Being alone. Letting his mind bleed away into that of an animal's.

He started when she grasped his hand, and put her other on his shoulder. Muscle automatically tensed under her touch. If he could blush, he would have. "The fuck are you doing now?" He snapped, embarrassment blurring into confusion and heightening his temper.

She frowned slightly at him. "It's alright." She repeated, making her tone softer. "You're meant to stand like this. See? Your 'hind legs' aren't wobbling anymore. You should try a few steps."

Subaru glared at her, but she was correct. He was able to stand upright, but he wasn't certain he'd last two steps without her support. His lips curled as he waited for her to lead him forward, only to bristle. "W-well? Get on with it then, if you want to do it so much."

The princess just smiled. "You and I both know that a gentleman must lead. I'm not forcing you to do this...if you want to walk on two legs, then do so."

She eased slightly away, teasingly, which had the desired effect as he snarled and took a step after her. She then side stepped, still loosely holding him, as he followed her step and suddenly dragged her in close. His breath fanned over her cheek, white fur brushing her exposed collarbone. His teeth skimmed her neck. "I'll damn well lead, if only to put you in your place, prey." His voice, pitched low, made her shiver pleasantly.

He then pulled her back a step with him and braced himself, before side stepping, watching his feet as they both navigated a small space. His clawed toenails dragged across the earth, and his hackles raised in irritation as he stumbled. However, her hand at his shoulder curled in a reassuring squeeze. Her fingers brushed the feathers mixed into his fur, and his frown melted away.

Sharp nails dragged over her waist lightly, twitching into the material of her dress. It didn't really occur to him that they were dancing until partway through, him being more focused on moving with her and staying upright. Their eyes met, and he took in the happy blush on her cheeks, the glitter in her eyes.

Her breath caught, and his hand flexed wide on her hip, drawing her slightly closer.

"Subaru you're-" she exclaimed, gaze flitting around his face. She watched as his lupine features shifted away slightly, revealing pale skin. The snout disappeared to reveal his nose, lips thin without the monstrous jaws. He automatically stiffened at her expression and moved away a little.

"What?" He grunted.

"Your face it's..." she breathed, staring at him. He snarled, shoving her back and losing his balance. Just a second before his hands met the ground once more, she watched with wide eyes as his beastly features were returned to him, as if it were a trick of the light that had made him human. Fur and sharp teeth rushed back onto his face as he resumed his four legged position. He padded away from her a little, face unreadable.

"Subaru..." she murmured, trailing off. She didn't know what to say, but now, she was certain of it. "You're...keeping yourself like this. Aren't you?"

He doesn't answer her for a moment, but his quiet, subdued voice reached her. "I think it's about time we find your Prince, and get some damn answers."

"I...I can't."

He blinked and turned to look at her. "What the fuck are you goin' on about now? Course you can. He's only in the next kingdom. I'll drag his sorry ass back here if-"

"No." She murmured, holding her arms and turning away. "Please...don't." Her voice had become a whisper of sound.

Subaru padded forward, frowning at her. "What aren't you telling me? You a liar now or somethin?" He asked, red eyes trying to read her.

The princess folded in on herself and crouched by the lake, looking at her reflection miserably. He smelled salt on the air, and his ears pricked at the sound of muffled sobs behind her hand. "I-I'm sorry. I...I haven't been entirely truthful."

He padded closer, ears laying flat on his head as his fur brushed her side. The heat of his body drew closer to her bent form. "Spit it out." He demanded quietly, unnerved by the turn.

Her shoulders shook as she slowly leaned back slightly into his heat. "M-my...curse can't be broken, because Prince Siegfried ha- has fallen in love with someone else. He's...going to get engaged to her soon. When he announces it, I'll be trapped in the form of a swan for good."

Subaru's eyes widened a touch. "Why the fuck is he getting engaged to someone else?" He snapped. "I thought he-"

"No...we were supposed to marry but we never fell in love. I-I can't deny him happiness, Subaru." She turned to look up at him, cheeks red as tears escaped her eyes. "When I saw him last, and we realised the curse wasn't going to break just because Rothbart was dead, I...let him go. I want him to be happy. So I came here."

"...How long do you have?" His voice had become quieter.

"I don't know when his engagement is. I keep expecting one night not to be able to turn back into a human." She admitted.

"And what if I killed your old sweetheart, huh? Would that break the curse?" The words rushed out in a breath. His teeth ached.

She started in alarm, gripping his clawed hand tight. She barely noticed as his nails dug into her skin in harsh rivets. "Subaru- don't do that. Please don't...I'll never forgive you if you do." Her clear eyes bore into his.

His eyes strayed, unnamed emotions welling up inside him, clashing together in chaos. Desperation clawed at him.

"Subaru?" She murmured questioningly, when he didn't answer.

"I have to go." His heel drew back, and when she moved to touch his cheek, he snarled. "DON'T TOUCH ME-"

The princess froze, hurt crossing her features.

A claw tipped hand ran through his hair in frustration. "I thought...fuck, I don't know what I thought. That maybe _you'd_ at least stay. I...wanted you to, I think. Doesn't matter..." Subaru trailed off. Her brows drew together as he retreated from her touch once more. As always, her heart swayed as if to fill the distance between them.

* * *

He didn't know what the hell he was doing. He hadn't stepped foot in the castle since his father's death. Unfortunately in his absence, Christa had been placed back inside that tower that resembled hell. He partly understood why, Ayato had no idea how to handle her outbursts, and it often took six guards to restrain her. He knew from experience...nothing could bring her mind back. Not after he'd ripped it to shreds just by being born.

But now, he crept down one of the many hallways inside the castle. Unannounced and unseen, his fur brushed against the walls as he stayed close to them, crouching low and ducking out of sight of the guards. Sounds of a party lulled him closer, until he found the entrance to the private gardens. He quickly darted for cover behind a rose bush, sneering as he heard tinkling laughter and polite conversation.

An unknown hurt twisted his heart painfully, but he figured it had something to do with the princess. She couldn't just invite herself into his life and then wander away unscathed, it didn't work like that. So...that was why he was doing something incredibly foolish. He burst out of his hiding place, heedless of the screams, and headed towards the tower.

"He has to proclaim his love to the world. You know, as an engagement announcement to me, or something like that."

"Mother..." He trailed off, looking at the woman before him with tired eyes.

After taking down the guards and knocking the door aside with his strength, he expected a shrinking violet, hiding in the corner. As it was, his mother stared at him with haze filled eyes, standing by the barred window.

"Who are you?" She asked softly, tonelessly.

Subaru swallowed, and his legs shook as he forced himself to stand upright. "You told me...never to show my face here again after I failed you. I know, Karl's death hurt. Shattered what was left of you... But I-I'm gonna talk to Ayato and see if he can find better ways to help you. Rather than keeping you locked up."

His mother tilted her head slightly, regarding him quietly. "You seem happier." She said in a subdued voice, piecing memories back together.

"Guess so. I think I fell for someone like an idiot though." He muttered the princess' name, avoiding Christa's gaze in embarrassment now. "I'd want to wait a while to say this, but I'm short on time, and I don't wanna lose her. Thing is...you're the only other person in my world who I give a shit about. So..I'm gonna tell only you that I want to marry her." He said, knowing it was a slim chance his confession would even mean anything. Her curse was meant to be broken by someone else, not him.

A hand reached out, and Subaru flinched- a reaction as natural as breathing. Even her gentle touch atop his head did nothing to stop the fear- the expectation of her hands turning violent unexpectedly as she took a turn- fingernails digging into his scalp. But Christa remained placid, and his eyes widened, tears pricking them without him realising.

"Don't...look at me like that, mother. I might think you've forgiven me or somethin..."

Her fingers moved from his head to his cheek, brushing the bangs over his eye aside. "There's nothing to forgive, my son." She murmured, a hollow pain in her eyes.

He started when the fur lining his arms began to slide off into the air, descending to the floor. He watched with wide eyes as his nails became shorter, and pale skin was revealed. Heart quickening, he flinched again as his mother wrapped a blanket around his shoulders to shield his suddenly nude form. He reached up and touched his human ears, his face-nose.

Subaru turned and saw the features he hated so much in the mirror. White hair and red eyes. The same hair from his mother and father, blood relations. He was that man's son once more.

His gaze returned to his mother, and her answering smile undid everything. All the pain over the years fell away. What he wanted most, was to smell the princess' familiar scent, and hold her once more.

"Go, I'm sure she's waiting for you." His mother encouraged.

Obeying this, his bare feet pounded on the stone steps down the tower. He clutched the blanket around him and ran as fast as he could through the gardens-the forest, until he reached the lake, driven by something inexplicable.

The scent of salt reached him once more however, and he frowned at the distant form of the princess. Her legs were dipped into the lakewater as she sat on the bank, her head bowed as she held her arms.

"Oi...what's wrong?" He asked quietly, standing behind her and panting softly.

She shifted to look at him over her shoulder and tensed in surprise. "Subaru..." she breathed.

"Ah, yeah the curse broke, what's up with y- gah!" He was cut off as she suddenly launched herself at him, arms wrapping around his neck.

He blinked but relaxed into her arms, the sensation strange. He buried his nose into her hair and inhaled, finding the scents more muted now that he was human. Nonetheless, it felt right to hold her.

When she drew back, she was smiling, lips stretched wide. Subaru dimly wondered at the tears in her eyes, and tensed, looking at her arms.

Very small white feathers were starting to poke out from her skin. He raised horror filled eyes to meet hers.

"I'm so happy for you, Subaru." She breathed, smiling genuinely.

"No." He spoke slowly, mind catching up with the situation. How much more could be taken from him? Why weren't his words enough?

Her gaze dropped to her arm. "I...think this might be my last night."

"No, damn it!" Subaru snarled. He gripped her tight and kissed her like she was hiding secrets behind her teeth.

He swallowed her brief inhale of surprise, holding her close. Her hand settled on his shoulder, as the other touched his hair gently. He didn't flinch at her hand, but his shoulders tensed, easing slowly. Their forms slowly sank down to kneel, kissing and mapping each other's skin, the plains of their bodies.

Subaru clung to her tightly, their bodies pressed close. He sought more of her warmth however, and ran his hands over the skimpy lace of her dress, the material riding up to reveal her thighs. The princess allowed this, kissing him with the same amount of vigour and need.

She willingly lay back onto the grass and beckoned him to follow, lips bent up painfully. "I don't think I have long...please just touch me as long as you can. I want to feel you."

He couldn't deny her and braced himself over her, the blanket slipping from his shoulders. She started at the feel of his palm on her bare leg, sliding up and disappearing under the hem of her dress. Subaru broke away slightly from her lips, their breaths mingling as his fingers stroked and rubbed at her clothed entrance. A blush spread over her cheeks as their eyes remained locked even as he touched her so intimately. When she began to squirm, the hazy desire in his gaze sharpened, and his lips turned up at the edges.

"...I've wanted to see you like this for a long time." His teeth grazed her jaw, kissing and licking her skin. "But it's still not enough...I want more. All of you. Give yourself to me quickly."

He marvelled at the feel of his skin against hers. Of his human body experiencing her touch. When he sank inside her, he groaned into her neck, shuddering. She felt warm and tight, gripping him like a vice. The princess gave a whimper, squeezing her eyes shut- until they peeled open and she nodded, moving her hips to try and ease the uncomfortable aches and pains of him stretching her. Subaru hissed out a breath as he bucked, grunting.

"Hah- don't make that face..." He muttered, looking down at her flushed cheeks. Teeth dragged over her neck, lips soon following as he kissed her hungrily. "It makes me want to break you..."

She made a breathy noise, gazing up at him with hazy eyes as her fingers stroked and gripped white strands of hair. "Go ahead...so long as it's you."

Subaru breathed out and clung to her as he moved, hips meeting hers over and over again. She, in turn, held onto his shoulders, making small whimpering noises. He bid himself to move faster, until his hips become a rough- bruising sensation. He panted harshly into her hair, digging her into the earth beneath them. He hitched her leg up and over his waist, holding it in place as he bucked and snarled, eyes darkening.

Her heart thudded with a surge of possessiveness, rising up and sprawling out along her veins. The steady chant of 'mine' sinking deep into her bones as she clung to him, screaming his name. Tears pricked her eyes as she gave herself over to the pleasure, wanting never to leave his arms.

Subaru rammed his hips forward a final time, letting out a harsh sound from the back of his throat as he released. She clenched around him exquisitely as she finished with him, panting hotly into his shoulder. Her lips pressed against his skin, her kisses starting at his collarbone and ending at his ear. The tears in her eyes spilled over as he stayed locked within her.

Subaru drew back slightly from her neck, and tensed at the early morning sunlight peaking out slowly from the tree tops. "No...just a little longer." He gritted out, panic lacing his voice.

He started as her hand cupped his cheek. Those sinful, beautiful lips that had chanted his name just moments before- pressed to his in a long, lingering kiss.

"I love you." She murmured, smiling despite the tears. "Don't...be sad, it's alright. You're human now. I want you to experience everything you can now that-"

"Don't start with that shit!" He snarled, holding her to him almost painfully. "Don't talk like you're dying. I ain't gonna experience shit unless you're there too." He muttered, shifting his hips and pulling out of her. He sat back, dragging her with him to sit across his lap as he held her.

"Subaru, what are you talking about? There's no time...I have to stay as a swan-"

"I'll fix it, alright! Trust me." He growled, glaring at her as the sunlight touched her cheek. His eyes widened slightly and he pressed his forehead against hers, heart constricting painfully. "Fuck..."

The swan princess closed her eyes and breathed out. She stroked his cheek and hair, committing the way they felt under her fingertips-in her human hands- to memory.

"It's alright." She murmured once more, as the light began to spill out from her body.

Subaru held her tight, trembling as he felt her form change under his hands. Her shape shifted and changed, skin becoming softer.

He watched with a distinct dullness to his eyes as the light receded. It paled and thinned to reveal the white feathers which he knew so well. The swan stared back at him as she stepped away sadly. The hollowness in his chest only grew as he touched her beak with his thumb, tracing it down her long neck. His hand then drifted away, clenching into a fist as he watched her turn and slip back onto the lake. Her head bowed in sadness as she drifted alone on the water.

"I'll fix this." He muttered hoarsely. Muscles shifted as he finally moved to stand upright, feeling the earth under his toes as he stood on two legs. "I promise...I will." He burned the words of commitment into his being.

* * *

The colours of the leaves slowly changed from green to orange as the months passed. Subaru searched endlessly. Within the pages of books, to old resident shops, to further kingdoms- even to the deepest recesses of the forest, knocking on a witches door, all in the name of a cure.

Reiji assured him countless times that one did not exist for curses of her magnitude, but he refused to hear it. No one else had been so desperate, he reasoned. No one else wanted it as badly as him. He wouldn't lose again like he had with his attempt at the crown. This time...he wouldn't be able to stitch himself back together if he failed.

But as the autumn breeze greeted him, Subaru realised something important he'd overlooked. She'd be flying south for the winter soon. He could see it in her eyes sometimes, that a worry plagued her. He supposed she'd never travelled it before, and she wouldn't be able to follow the other birds if she waited any longer.

He raised his head from the pages of another book, he'd lost count which volume. Tired lines creased around his eyes. Studying had never been his strong suit. He slowly raised himself from his chair, looking out of the window at the lone, tower.

His lips thinned as he turned away. His room felt too spacious and wide...empty. Not once had it ever resembled the warmth they spoke of in books. The warmth of home. He left his room, walking down the hallway silently.

Subaru didn't breathe a word to his brothers as he passed their rooms. They were merely strangers who lived together anyway, and they'd probably piss him off if he did so.

He walked the familiar path from the castle, down to the glimmering waters of the lake. He could practically taste the chill in the air, but strode on, boots crunching on the dry grass. She was waiting in the shallows, a pure white figure. She craned her neck up to look at him and Subaru nodded in silent, grim acknowledgement.

"Oi...so, I know I've been putting this off...but you've gotta go now." He said quietly.

She blinked slowly, unfolding her wings and beating them in annoyance, clearly not amused by his words.

He snorted. "It's not a joke. You have to go. It's turning winter now. Swans...they gotta head south like with all the other birds."

Subaru sighed as she folded her wings and shot him a dark look. "I know. You're scared of going. I said I'd fix things...so this is me keeping that promise. "

She started as he suddenly stepped foot into the lake, making a noise of surprise. He waded in further, until he was waist deep. "Shit it's cold." He cursed, gritting his teeth.

The swan circled around him worriedly, pushing at him with her head to go back to the shore. He batted her away gently. "Quit it. Just...trust me." He mutters, looking at her with firm red eyes.

She conceded, and he brought out a vile from his pocket. There was a curious shade of purple to it, but Subaru didn't hesitate to lift it to his lips, drinking. The swan backed away, something clicking dimly inside her mind. Her eyes widened and in a flurry of feathers- raced forward to try and stop him. The water thrashed as she was forced to stop, blinded by the light that burst forth from his form.

~ x ~

A pair of half lidded blue eyes watched the couple of swans. They drifted together on the surface of the lake, drawing closer. Shuu lazily broke some break off and tossed it to them. The more ruffled looking one glared at him as per usual, but ate the crumbs none the less.

Shuu's lips quirked as he regarded them tiredly. He shifted however, after hearing footsteps draw closer.

"Ah, what a nice night to feed the ducks." Laito smiled amiably, looking at the swans.

Shuu made an undignified noise. "I dare you to say that and stand closer to him," he muttered.

"Fufu, I'm sure his temper must have eased some-" the red head stepped closer to the water. Not a second later, the ruffled looking male hissed at him, beating his wings violently.

Laito eased away again, holding up his hands placatingly and chuckling weakly. Shuu smirked, gaze shifting to the female swan, who calmly circled around the male, nuzzling his neck with her beak. The male relaxed some, but kept his beady black eyes on Laito distrustfully.

"He really hasn't changed has he?" Laito mused softly as the couple drifted away from them, moving further out onto the lake.

Shuu hummed, eating some of the dry bread and chewing it slowly.

"I for one, think it was a foolish choice. A thoughtless act." Comes a new voice. Reiji approached, his folded arms curled around his form loosely. He regarded the swans with narrowed eyes.

"Naww, I see that marriage hasn't made you any more romantic, Reiji." Laito teased, green eyes glimmering as his elder brother snorted.

"...Seems happier though." Shuu's quiet voice was lost as Ayato knocked a branch aside, grunting as he stepped up behind them. "It's a damn pain is what it is! I can't hunt swans now!"

He righted his cloak, brushing himself off and standing tall. He didn't wear his crown, which was a surprise, as he insisted on wearing it at all times.

"But you never liked the taste of swans, your royal highness." Laito's lips quirked.

"Tch, yeah well now I can't try it one day and see if my tastes have changed. It's all his fault too. Selfish prick." Ayato grumbles, folding his arms and glaring at the swans retreating figure.

"...I heard that you made a law against hunting swans in the kingdom, Ayato. Heh, he certainly complains a lot, doesn't he, my love?" Kanato murmured, pushing his wife towards them as she sat, unmoving in her wheelchair. The rest of the brothers shifted uncomfortably, as they always did in her presence.

"Well that IS news to me. What a softie you've turned into." Laito smoothly side stepped Kanato's appearance, grinning at Ayato, who cursed loudly, launching into a rant.

"Oi, shut up. They're leaving." Shuu sighed, looking at the pair of swans. They opened their wings and started to glide faster on the water, flapping and eventually rising up, leaving the lake. Their pale figures soared into the air, climbing higher and higher into the sky.

The brothers watched them go, a brief, rare moment of silence swamping them. Only the sounds of crickets chirping and the lake water lapping at the bank could be heard. Ayato blinked, and then shook himself, grunting about dumb distractions.

Shuu stayed where he was as they all slowly parted ways again, as if nothing had happened. His blue eye cracked open to look at Reiji, who lingered for some reason, staring at the spot Subaru had vanished from sight. Reiji shifted his gaze down to meet his.

"And what are your plans now, Good-for-nothing?" He muttered.

Shuu sighed and closed his eyes. "What are you talking about? I never have plans."

"No, I suppose not." Reiji replied in a clipped tone. He turned, making to leave.

"I guess...it's time for me to be moving on too." Shuu's subdued voice broke the ensuing silence. He was unsure if Reiji heard him as he left, but it hardly mattered. The blond sighed and leaned against a tree trunk, the rough bark digging into his back. Blue eyes stared up at the brightening skies.

"Wonder if there's a witch nearby who'll grant my wish too." He muttered tiredly, before his eyes fell shut.

~ End ~


End file.
